TRANSPORT

Parliamentary Questions

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will answer Question 95494, on Crossrail, tabled by the hon. Member for Wimbledon on 17 October 2006 for named day Answer on 20 October.

Tom Harris: The parliamentary question was answered on 24 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1744W.

Driving Licences

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many older pensioners in Hendon have availed themselves of the cheaper driving licence arrangements.

Stephen Ladyman: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued a total of 3,160,380 free licences in Great Britain for drivers aged 70 and over since the renewal fee for these drivers was abolished on 1 March 2004.
	In the period from 1 March 2004 to 31 January 2006, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency issued 2,872 licences to drivers aged over 70 in the Hendon parliamentary constituency. This figure includes both licence renewals and licences issued to newly qualified drivers aged 70 and over.

Highways Agency

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of customer use of the Traffic England Highways Agency website.

Stephen Ladyman: Customer use of the Traffic England Highways Agency website is assessed in three ways. First, monthly usage figures are obtained for the number of visitors to the site and the number of pages viewed on each visit; second, a questionnaire is available on the website inviting customer feedback; and third, the Agency collates telephone calls and e-mail it receives about the site.
	In September 2006, the site received 280,000 visitors, who downloaded 2.2 million pages of information. Over 71 per cent. of users giving feedback rated the site either useful or extremely useful, and over 95 per cent. stated the site had influenced a recent journey.

Road Schemes (Emissions)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what methodology was used to calculate the carbon impact of road schemes for data on carbon emissions submitted to the Environmental Audit Committee following the Secretary of State's evidence on 14 June.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department set out the methodology used in its supplementary evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee published alongside the Committee's report in August. Further details are available from the Committee's website at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmselect/cmenvaud/981/6061408.htm

Rolling Stock

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many slam-door carriages are still in use on the railway network.

Tom Harris: Of the traditional 'slam door' fleets only a handful of vehicles are now operated under exemption by franchised passenger operators. These include the two Class 421 three-car electrical multiple units operated on the Lymington branch line by South West Trains, and the two single-car Class 121 diesel multiple units operated by Chiltern Railways and Arriva Trains Wales on the Aylesbury—Princess Risborough and Cardiff Queen Street—Cardiff Bay routes respectively. All are fitted with central door locking.
	In addition, though not 'slam door' stock, there are currently around 1200 locomotive hauled coaches used in passenger service by franchised passenger operators. The majority of these coaches have hinged doors which are opened and closed manually at stops and central door locking operated by the guard. The exception is Mark 4 coaches which comprise around 260 of this total and have power operated sliding doors.

Transport Infrastructure

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total  (a) Government and  (b) private funding for transport infrastructure was in each of the last 30 years at today's prices; and what projected spending is for the next three years.

Gillian Merron: pursuant to the reply, 17 October 2006, Official Report, c. 1137-38W
	The figures for 2003-04 and 2004-05 are as follows:
	
		
			  Public and private funding for transport infrastructure, 2003-04 to 2004-05 
			  £ Million (2004-05 prices) 
			   2003-04  2004-05 
			  Road infrastructure   
			 Public 4,307 4,660 
			 Private 42 69 
			 Total 4,350 4,729 
			  Rail infrastructure 5,329 4,272 
			
			  Ports infrastructure 318 202 
			
			  Airports and air traffic control   
			 Public(1) 72 63 
			 Private(1) 1,411 1,432 
			 Total 1,483 1,495 
			 (1) Investment in NATS switched from public to private funding between 2000-01 and 2001-02.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Energy Efficiency

Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment the Commission has made of the extent to which heating and ventilation systems in each building on the parliamentary estate  (a) are controllable by individual users,  (b) are energy efficient and designed to prevent heat leakage and  (c) maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels in varying weather conditions; and what plans exist to improve such systems.

Nick Harvey: A cyclical programme of surveys is carried out on parliamentary estate buildings and their services. Consultants are currently undertaking detailed surveys of the building services in the Palace of Westminster. A feasibility study is under way to explore methods of renewing the existing heating and ventilation system which is now largely 50-years-old for the Palace of Westminster. There are also plans to carry out building services surveys and option studies for the major refurbishment of the heating and ventilation systems of Canon Row, Derby Gate and Norman Shaw North in the near future.
	The House authorities are aware that the heating and ventilation systems on a number of the buildings on the parliamentary estate are reaching the end of their economic life:
	 (a) Local control of radiator temperatures is only available in some areas of the parliamentary estate.
	 (b) The majority of buildings on the parliamentary estate were constructed in the 19th century when energy efficiency was not a major design consideration and much of the building stock is inherently energy inefficient. Work is currently in place to explore ways to enhance the buildings' energy efficiency.
	 (c) A programme of services upgrade works is ongoing across the estate to renew plant and services.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the Government's policy is on the export of young calves for slaughter abroad;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to encourage British farmers to rear calves to produce high quality British veal;
	(3)  what assessment the Government has made of the attitudes of the public to the export of young calves for slaughter abroad.

Ben Bradshaw: I am aware of the public concern over the trade in live calf exports; it is generating a high volume of letters to the Department. However, this is a lawful trade and European Union (EU) law must be observed. The United Kingdom (UK) cannot place a unilateral ban on the export of calves. All exports must meet the necessary animal health and welfare rules.
	This Government are committed to the welfare of animals and have played a key role in improving EU rules on transport since 1996 when the export trade in live calves from the UK ceased. New EU-wide welfare in transport rules will come into force in January 2007 providing further improvements. We are seeking to encourage the industry to develop alternative uses for calves other than live export, and welcome the joint initiative from Compassion in World Farming and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to bring together welfare groups, the dairy and beef industry and the retail sector to discuss this issue. They hosted an event in July which I attended.
	The industry has developed domestic veal rearing systems that satisfy robust welfare requirements, but the opportunities to sell the product in the UK are very limited. Conversely, dairy farmers are now driven by the strong commercial demand for veal calves on the continent. The Department commissioned a study to look at the economic drivers and potential for developing alternative markets to the export of veal calves. The report confirmed that the domestic market for home produced veal is resistant to growth. It did, however, conclude that there are commercially attractive opportunities for rearing dairy calves for the growing domestic market for manufacturing beef. This is promising and Defra will continue to play its part in encouraging such alternative uses.

International Whaling Commission

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will press for Iceland's expulsion from the International Whaling Commission following the announcement that it intends to resume commercial whaling; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK will continue to protest at the highest diplomatic level against Iceland's activities. I have called the Icelandic ambassador to my office to explain this decision and to voice our strong opposition to Iceland's commercial whaling. We will continue our efforts, along with other countries, to urge Iceland to reconsider their position and reverse this unjustified and unnecessary decision.
	However, there are no provisions within the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) that provide for the exclusion of parties who are considered to have broken the rules. It is debatable whether Iceland's action could reasonably be considered a breach of its treaty obligations, since it was taken under a formal Reservation made by Iceland on rejoining the International Whaling Commission in 2002. However, the UK's formal objection to Iceland's reservation to article 10(e) of the ICRW (the part enforcing the moratorium) remains.

Rurality

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with his Cabinet colleagues means of enabling the provision of departmental data broken down according to his Department's definition of rurality; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: A research project co-sponsored by several Government departments and other bodies resulted in the publication of the "National Statistics Rural and Urban Definition 2004". This new rural definition identifies the different types of settlements in which people live in rural areas. The definition can be used with other information, such as housing type, car ownership and household incomes to give a valid means of understanding how these measures vary within rural areas.
	The new definition is accepted across Government, and is recognised as the Government standard by the Office for National Statistics. It was agreed after a public web-based validation exercise, and marks a big step forward in developing our evidence base and statistical toolkit for rural areas.
	I have written recently to Ministers to promote the further use of the definition in their Departments' work.

WALES

Farm Subsidies

Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total level of subsidies given by the Government to farmers in Wales was in each of the last ten years; and what each figure represents per farmer.

Peter Hain: The Welsh Assembly Government have published provisional figures for subsidies paid out to Welsh farmers in 2005. I have made this document available in the Library. The final figures will be published in due course. Equivalent information for the preceding nine years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	The Welsh Assembly Government are committed to ensuring greater transparency in the publication of farm subsidy data. Accordingly, it recently announced its intention to publish such data by postcode. The data will also be subdivided to show the breakdown between all claims submitted under the 2005 single payment application form.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the  (a) reviews and  (b) consultations relating to the Child Support Agency undertaken since 1997; and the total cost of each to his Department.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available in the format requested as the current accounting system of the Department for Work and Pensions does not enable us to associate costs to individual or discrete activities. Such information as is available is as follows:
	The following reviews have taken place since 1997:
	Review by Stephen Geraghty, Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency between April and December 2005.
	Sir David Henshaw redesign took place between February and July 2006. Estimated costs for this review were published on page 66 of the report "Recovering child support: routes to responsibility". (Cm 6894)
	The following consultation exercises have taken place since 1997:
	The Child Support Green Paper, CHILDREN FIRST: a new approach to child support (Cm 3992) was published in July 1998.
	The Child Support White Paper—A New Contract for Welfare: Children's Rights and Parents' Responsibilities (Cm 4349), published on 1 July 1999.
	A fresh start: child support redesign—the Government response to Sir David Henshaw (Cm 6895), published on 24 July 2006.

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's policy is on the display of religious  (a) artefacts,  (b) symbols and  (c) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions respects the beliefs and religions of all its staff. It does not have a specific policy on the display of religious artefacts, symbols or dress by its staff.
	The Department has a standards of behaviour policy that allows its businesses to set dress standards that it expects staff to follow, though there are none that relate specifically to the wearing of religious dress, artefacts or symbols. All staff are expected to present themselves in a professional and business-like way.
	The Department is very much committed to promoting equality and valuing diversity within the workplace and where possible facilities for prayer or quiet contemplation are provided for staff to use.
	All managers are made aware of the Departmental guidance on enabling staff to observe religious obligations and festivals. Faith awareness training is delivered for staff through a learning and development toolkit, which provides information on religious beliefs, observances and practices.
	No staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this and it is not a category for which the Department gathers any statistics.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate the Government have made of the cost of extending the financial assistance scheme in line with the recommendations from the parliamentary ombudsman's report on occupational pension schemes.

James Purnell: We estimate the cost of implementing the ombudsman's recommendations to be between £13 and £17 billion, in cash terms, over 60 years (or between £2.9 billion and £3.7 billion, net present value).

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Judo

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to resolve the dispute between the Bristol Judo Association and the Save Independent Judo campaign; what further action she proposes; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Save Independent Judo campaign has written a number of letters to the Department about the development of the UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) in judo and the role of the British Judo Association (BJA). In June, I replied, explaining that I had asked my officials to look into the issues raised. In August, I provided a substantive reply, clarifying some of the background and the role of sports coach UK and the BJA in taking the issues forward.
	Save Independent Judo has continued to correspond with the Department. We have ensured that Sports Coach UK, who are responsible for developing and implementing the UKCC, UK Sport and Sport England are aware of their various concerns. We will continue to work with these organisations to ensure that, where appropriate, these issues are addressed.

Olympic Games

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what locations in the London Borough of Bexley  (a) were considered to be used to stage an event and  (b) are being considered for training sites for athletes for the 2012 London Olympics.

Richard Caborn: In order to host a compact Olympic games and Paralympic games as required by the International Olympic Committee, venues for the 2012 London games are, wherever practical, situated as close as possible to the Olympic Park in the Lower Lea Valley. As a result no facilities within the London borough of Bexley were able to be considered as competition venues.
	The London Organising Committee for the Olympic games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) is preparing a pre-games training guide in which facilities that it has approved as providing a suitable training environment in the UK are listed by location and by sport. The development of this guide will be overseen by a steering group, made up of organisations such as the British Olympic Association, the British Paralympic Association, the English Institute of Sport, UK Sport and the home nation sport councils.
	Venues from around the UK, including those situated within the London borough of Bexley, are invited to apply to host pre-games training camps through the LOCOG website:
	<http://www.london2012.com/en/gettinginvolved/trainingcamps/Applicationprocess.htm>
	Applications will initially be assessed on a national or regional basis, and the deadline for facilities to submit their interest is 31 January 2007. Final selection will take place by January 2008 and the guide will be distributed to national Olympic committees and national Paralympic committees in summer 2008.

Olympic Games

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether a decision has been made regarding use of the Olympic stadium following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; what the role is of the Minister for Sport in that decision; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  whether  (a) the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games,  (b) the Olympic Delivery Authority and  (c) her Department are considering alternative plans for the Olympic stadium that significantly depart from the London 2012 Candidate File's proposition to convert the stadium into a 25,000 seat multi-purpose venue with athletics at its core; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what steps she plans to take to ensure that following the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games the Olympic stadium continues to feature and support athletics events; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is procuring the Olympic stadium. As the explanatory document published in July by the ODA made clear, in legacy mode we intend that it will be a 25,000-seater stadium with athletics at its core, consistent with the commitment set out in the London 2012 Candidate File. The ODA has appointed consultants who, in consultation with Olympic stakeholders, sporting bodies and the local community, are scoping the different possible community uses for the stadium with a view to drawing up a business plan for future use of the stadium. A wide range of options consistent with our Candidate File commitment is currently under consideration. Any decision on legacy use of the stadium will be made by the Olympic board on which I am the Government's representative.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Business Start-ups

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new business start-ups there were in  (a) the East of England,  (b) Suffolk and  (c) Bury St. Edmunds constituency in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: Value added tax (VAT) registrations and de-registrations are the best official guide to the pattern of business start-ups and closures. DTI data on the number of VAT registrations, and the start of year stock of VAT registered businesses, in East of England Government office region, Suffolk county and Bury St. Edmunds constituency from 1997 to 2005 are shown in the following table. Data for 2006 will be available autumn 2007.
	
		
			  VAT registrations and start of year VAT stock 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  East of England   
			 Registrations 18,330 17,540 16,845 17,630 16,655 17,820 18,735 17,815 17,790 n/a 
			 Stock 162,430 166,865 170,695 173,515 176,310 177,735 180,080 182,705 184,525 187,625 
			
			  Suffolk County   
			 Registrations 2,035 1,890 1,855 2,060 1,885 2,100 2,160 2,085 1,915 n/a 
			 Stock 20,835 21,265 21,535 21,765 22,145 22,300 22,610 22,935 23,240 23,460 
			
			  Bury St. Edmunds( 1)   
			 Registrations 295 270 270 325 260 325 320 345 320 n/a 
			 Stock 3,185 3,250 3,320 3,345 3,420 3,440 3,535 3,580 3,665 3,720 
			 (1) Parliamentary constituency.   Source: Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994-2005, Small Business Service, available from http://www.sbs.gov.uk/vats 
		
	
	Although the number of registrations in Bury St. Edmunds constituency has remained fairly constant, the start of year stock has risen by 17 per cent. over the period.
	VAT registration and de-registration data do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if their turnover falls below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register may not have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 4.3 million businesses (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2005.

Departmental Childcare Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there are waiting lists for places at child care facilities which his Department provides for its employees.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The DTI does not hold long-term waiting list for places for the DTI play-schemes. If the DTI play-schemes are over-subscribed on any given day, a list of requests for that date is kept on a first come first served basis. If a place becomes available, the place is offered to the next child on the list.

Digital Television

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications for electricity demand of digital switchover.

Margaret Hodge: Digital switchover is expected to have implications for both transmitter power usage and consumer power usage. The Government's assessment is that the replacement of the analogue terrestrial transmission network with a nationwide digital terrestrial television network will lead to a net reduction in energy usage by the transmission networks of 186 GWh per year. Completion of switchover is expected to result in an increase in consumer energy use of between 966GWh and 2816GWh per annum, primarily due to the expected increase in the take up of set-top boxes. This is equivalent to a 0.37 per cent. increase in domestic electricity consumption. The Government's overall estimate for the total impact of switchover is a net increase of 1705GWh per year.
	Further details are contained in the 'Regulatory and Environmental Impact Assessment: the timing of digital switchover', published on 16 September 2005. This was placed in the House Library at the time of publication, and is also available at:
	www.digitaltelevision.gov.uk.

Enterprise Campaign Coalition

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the work of the Enterprise Campaign Coalition.

Margaret Hodge: The Enterprise Campaign Coalition consists of 26 key national partner organisations with a common interest in promoting enterprise. During 2006, the work of Enterprise Campaign Coalition has been distributed between three groups:
	 (a ) Strategic framework sub-group:
	This group has developed a prospectus called 'Fuelling Enterprise Culture' which was launched on 11 October 2006. It is a national call to action for different sectors to 'mainstream' the engagement of young people in enterprise.
	 (b ) Youth enterprise support sub-group:
	This group has been looking at the needs of young people thinking about setting up their own business or social enterprise. It will produce a report about the direction that business support needs to take to better meet the needs of young people. This report is expected in early 2007.
	 (c) Enterprise education sub-group:
	This group has been looking at the role of education. The group has identified six broad challenges and recently commissioned a brief mapping exercise of strategic projects/initiatives designed to improve the effectiveness of enterprise education across schools, colleges and universities. Subject to the findings of this mapping exercise, the group will be identifying areas where it can collectively add value in driving forward enterprise education.

Enterprise Insight

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1028W, on Enterprise Insight, whether all the local and sectoral enterprise campaign hubs are now fully functional; whether Enterprise Insight's recruitment process has now been completed; and what the cost has been of the recruitment process.

Margaret Hodge: Enterprise Insight advises that of the five local hubs, Coventry and Liverpool are fully functional; Lowestoft, Wakefield and Teesside are not.
	Of the three sectoral hubs, retail is fully functional; creative industries and manufacturing are not.
	Of the 21 Enterprise Insight staff posts involved in these hubs, 15 are in post, 3 are appointed but have yet to start, and 3 have yet to be appointed. In addition, resources equivalent to four staff are being made available through agreements with partner organisations in Coventry and Lowestoft.
	Enterprise Insight expects all hubs to fully functional by early 2007.
	Enterprise Insight advises that the cost to date of the recruitment to the 21 posts is £117,000.

Furniture Industry

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many civil servants in his Department have particular responsibility for promoting the furniture industry.

Margaret Hodge: A range of staff across the Department work on issues related to the UK furniture industry; staff in Business Relations, UK Trade International and Consumer and Competition Policy Directorate work to help the sector on issues such as productivity, exporting, standards and fair competition.

Heat Pumps

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK strategy for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of more widespread introduction of heat pumps in the domestic sector.

Malcolm Wicks: Future Energy Solutions produced a report for DTI and DEFRA ("Renewable Heat and Heat from Combined Power Plants—Study and Analysis") which assessed the carbon saving potential of various sources of renewable heat, including ground source heat pumps. This study suggests that if ground source heat pumps were installed in all off-gas grid residential properties, carbon savings of around 3.9MtC/year could be achieved. No such assessment has been made of the potential of air source or water source heat pumps.

Symposium on International Nuclear Safeguards

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what participation his Department had in the Symposium on International Nuclear Safeguards held at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna 16 to 20 October; and whether the Government provided resources in support of the Symposium.

Malcolm Wicks: A representative from the Safeguards Office in my Department attended this Symposium. In addition, my Department funded the attendance of the UKAEA co-ordinator of the UK Support Programme (UKSP) to IAEA Safeguards, and the participation of four personnel from industry and academia who gave presentations on work they have conducted under the UKSP.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the North West regional development agency is providing any funding for a study to establish whether Lancaster Castle prison can become a tourist attraction.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 24 October 2006
	No. The North West regional development agency has not received any such proposal.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether members of Vision Boards can remain on them without attending meetings.

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Vision Boards.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vision board managers are employed on a consultancy basis.

Margaret Hodge: There is one Vision Board manager appointed on a consultancy basis.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vision boards there are in the North West Regional Development Agency.

Margaret Hodge: The North West Development Agency has encouraged the establishment of three Vision Boards in Preston, Lancaster and Burnley.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent on the vision boards set up by the North West regional development agency.

Margaret Hodge: The North West regional development agency has encouraged the establishment of vision boards in Preston, Burnley and Lancaster. The agency has provided the following funding to the vision boards:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Preston 457,000 
			 Lancaster 200,000 
			 Burnley 178,000

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice the Northwest Regional Development Agency has given to Lancaster Vision Board regarding funding for a study to establish whether Lancaster prison can be closed and the castle turned into a tourist attraction.

Margaret Hodge: The Northwest Regional Development Agency has advised the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board that any proposal seeking agency funding should be submitted as part of an action plan in support of the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision. All such proposals should also feature in the sub-regional action plans developed by the Lancashire Economic Partnership. This demonstrates sub-regional priority in delivering the Regional Economic Strategy.
	The agency has not received a funding proposal in respect of Lancaster Castle.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role the area manager from the Northwest Regional Development Agency plays on the Lancaster Vision Board.

Margaret Hodge: The Northwest Regional Development Agency's area manager attended Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board meetings as an observer and advised the board on matters relating to delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy and agency policy.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision document cost to reproduce.

Margaret Hodge: The Lancaster and Morecambe Vision documents cost a total of £20,819. This covered:
	design;
	consultation/promotion;
	website posting;
	5,000 full version copies; and
	2,000 abridged version copies.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board was set up.

Margaret Hodge: The Northwest Regional Development Agency first proposed the idea of a Vision Board for Lancaster and Morecambe to the local authority and key private sector representatives on 22 March 2004. Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board first met on 26 May 2004.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board is responsible for  (a) ensuring that effective delivery vehicles are in place to implement the regeneration strategy for the area and  (b) the delivery of the economic vision and strategy for the Lancaster and Morecambe area.

Margaret Hodge: The Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board has no responsibility for either ensuring effective delivery vehicles are in place or for the delivery of the economic vision and strategy for Lancaster and Morecambe. Its role is to provide innovative and visionary support and advice with a strong private sector input.

North West Regional Development Agency

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who the representatives are on Lancaster Vision Board; and which sector each represents.

Margaret Hodge: Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board members are as follows:
	
		
			  Name  Organisation  Sector 
			 Paul Wellings Lancaster University Higher Education 
			 Trevor Bargh Charter Solutions Marketing consultancy 
			 Ian Barker Lancaster City Council Elected representative 
			 Janet Barton Lancashire Economic Partnership Sub-region 
			 Amanda Belcham Dukes Theatre Cultural industries 
			 Jim Birkett Fanny House Farm Agriculture/NFU 
			 Martyn Butlin British Energy Energy generation 
			 Jim Catterall Craigwell Hotel Tourism 
			 Helen Child GTP IT/financial services 
			 Mark Cullinan Lancaster City Council Local authority 
			 John Donnellon Lancaster City Council Local authority 
			 Nicholas Gillibrand Mason Gillibrand Architectural Practice 
			 Hazel Harding Lancashire County Council Elected representative 
			 Roger Horn Port Commission Property/waterways 
			 Allan Kenny Reebok/Consultant Distribution/Chamber of Commerce 
			 Nairn Munshi Sultan of Lancaster Leisure 
			 Alison Page Furniture Matters Social enterprise 
			 Geraldine Smith MP Elected representative 
			 David Taylor Irvine Taylor Property/Chamber of Commerce 
			 John Walden In Touch IT/manufacturing 
			 Ben Wallace MP Elected representative 
			 Lois Willis Consultant Health/Creative Industries 
			 David Wood Lancaster and Morecambe College Further education

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops of the 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) are serving in Afghanistan; and how many casualties have been sustained by the regiment in that country.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 16 October 2006
	Details relating to the number of troops from the 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) serving in Afghanistan since its disclosure would reveal the capability of UK forces operating in theatre, and could have a bearing on operational security.
	With specific reference to casualties, it is with regret that I confirm that the regiment has sustained three deaths since our operations commenced in southern Afghanistan this year: Corporal Peter Thorpe and Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi on 1 July, and Lance Corporal Jonathon Hetherington on 27 August. Our records do not show any members of the 14th Signal Regiment reported as very seriously ill/injured/wounded or seriously ill/injured/wounded. However, it should be noted that these figures do not include individuals who may have required minor treatment or suffered illness.

Afghanistan

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken by International Security Assistance Force troops to engage with local Jirgas and Shuras in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) recognises the importance of engaging with local communities, not only to help deliver security but also as a key element of the work of Provincial Reconstruction Teams, who are there to help deliver better governance and support reconstruction and development. Across Afghanistan, Commanders engage with local community leaders, including through Shuras. UK commanders have done, and continue to do, the same in Helmand province.

Afghanistan

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his estimate is of the total number of deaths of combatants and non-combatants in Afghanistan since October 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 October 2006
	The most accurate figures available for the deaths of coalition and allied troops are on www.icasualties.org/oef. As of 17 October, the total number of deaths of coalition and allied troops was 496.
	We have no reliable means of ascertaining the numbers of Afghan combatants or non-combatants killed, but the UK makes every effort to minimise the impact of military action on the Afghan population. Similar principles apply in northern Helmand as for Afghanistan in general.

Afghanistan

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost has been to the UK of all military operations in Afghanistan since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The costs of operations are calculated on a net additional basis and audited figures are published each year in the MOD's annual report and accounts. The total annual audited figures for the costs of operations in Afghanistan for the years 2001-02 to 2005-06 were £844 million.

Deepcut Review

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Government plans to publish its formal response to Nicholas Blake's Deepcut Review.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 May 2006
	Due to an oversight, this question was not answered at the time, however, the Government's response to the Deepcut Review was published on 13 June 2006. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departmental Staff

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department  (a) directly employed and  (b) employed on contracts were required to support the financial or commercial aspects of defence exports to foreign governments in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The Ministry of Defence provides support to defence exports through the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO). In April 2006 there were some 450 staff in post in DESO. Of those 12 were employed on fixed-term contracts, five of whom were part-time.
	In general, the financial and commercial aspects of defence exports are matters for the company supplying the export. But a proportion of DESO staff work in project offices dealing with exports made under Government-to-Government contracts, and the duties of 29 of these staff are mainly concerned with financial and commercial aspects of the projects. None of these is on a fixed-term contract.
	A breakdown showing the numbers of staff in DESO was included in the answers given to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey) on 26 October 2005,  Official Report, column 376W.

Diego Garcia

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK personnel stationed on Diego Garcia have access to the United States detention facilities located there for the purposes of monitoring who is detained in that facility.

Des Browne: There is no US facility for foreign detainees on Diego Garcia. The only civilian detention centre is at the small UK-run police station.

Engagements

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings the former Defence Secretary, the right hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon), held with  (a) US politicians,  (b) the CIA and  (c) others in the United States in August 2003.

Des Browne: holding answer 12 October 2006
	None.

Far East War Prisoners

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2006,  Official Report, column 706W, on Far East Civilian Internees, what progress he has made with charities towards aiding those who have not been awarded payments under the 20 year rule.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 October 2006
	The position remains as outlined by my predecessor in his answer of 3 July; discussions with a relevant charity are still ongoing. I will write to the hon. Member when I have further information.

Far East War Prisoners

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made towards reviewing those applicants for the Far East Prisoners of War Ex-Gratia Payments Scheme that have not qualified for payment under the 20 year rule; and what factors he is taking into account to determine eligibility.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 October 2006
	Eligibility for the 20-year rule is determined in accordance with the published rules; a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 26 June. Since the introduction of the new rule, officials have been monitoring and gathering information on its application which includes those claims which do not qualify. An early analysis of any emerging trends is nearing completion and I will be discussing these with the Association of British Civilian Internees Far East Region before final decisions on rejections are made.

Far East War Prisoners

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the written statement of 17 October 2006 on Far East Prisoners of War Ex-Gratia Payments Scheme, whether civilian claims for the payment submitted before 7 July 2005 will be paid in full.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 October 2006
	Civilian claims for a payment submitted before 7 July 2005 will be paid in full if:
	(1) the applicant met those residence-based criteria now remaining following removal of the 'birthlink' criteria, or
	(2) the applicant met the 'birthlink' criteria (such cases will be dealt with on a separate ex gratia basis in recognition of the fact that, at the time of their claim, such applicants had a reasonable expectation that the 'birthlink' criteria would apply in their case and that they would have been paid had their application been processed more quickly).
	Veterans Agency records show that there are three claims in the second category. Action is in hand for these payments to be made.

Financial Digest

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's monthly Financial Digest for the first six months of 2005-06.

Des Browne: The term Financial Digest refers to previous procedures in the Department which have been updated as our financial management processes have been improved. Officials regularly produce forecasts of expected year-end financial outturn for senior management. These are reflected in the forecasts of Defence expenditure in the Main and Supplementary Estimates formally submitted for parliamentary consideration in the course of the year. Detailed in-year internal forecasts make an important contribution to the development of Government policy. I am withholding their publication as it would be prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs by inhibiting the free and frank provision of advice to senior management and Ministers, and any exchanges of views for the purpose of deliberation.

Helicopters

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the helicopters based in Southern Afghanistan are  (a) based in (i) Kandahar Province and (ii) Helmand Province and  (b) under the direct command of Brigadier Ed Butler.

Des Browne: holding answer 17 July 2006
	Brigadier Jerry Thomas took over command of UK troops in Afghanistan from Brigadier Ed Butler on 7 October 2006.
	I am withholding details of where our helicopters are based as this information could compromise operational security and put the lives of our personnel at risk. They are based at the most appropriate place to support the UK deployment to Helmand.
	UK Forces in Helmand operate under the operational control of the Multi-national Brigade Commander, Brigadier Fraser, who is the Canadian Commander in charge of Regional Command South and under command of Commander International Security Assistance Force. UK forces have tactical command of the helicopter assets and inform Regional Command South's priorities for use of these assets.

Helicopters

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) Apache,  (b) Chinook,  (c) Merlin and  (d) Lynx helicopters were in regular service in Afghanistan (i) at the start of the war and (ii) at the latest available date.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 19 October 2006
	As announced on 26 January 2006,  Official Report, column 1529, 18 helicopters were to be deployed to Afghanistan: eight AH-64 Apache attack helicopters; four Lynx light utility helicopters; and six CH-47 Chinook support helicopters. The additional deployment of two CH-47 Chinook helicopters was announced on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 76.

Iraq/Afghanistan

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British servicemen have been killed in the  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan conflict; and how many representatives of British servicemen's families bereaved in each conflict (i) he has met and (ii) Ministers have met on his behalf or on behalf of the Government.

Des Browne: holding answer 9 October 2006
	The number of British service personnel killed in Iraq is 119. The number of British service personnel killed in Afghanistan is 40. The Prime Minister and Defence Ministers have met bereaved relatives but they were private occasions and should remain so.

Northern Ireland

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troops he expects to be based in Northern Ireland on operational duties in 2007.

Adam Ingram: Under the updated Security Annex to the Joint Declaration published by the Government in August 2005, the number of armed forces personnel (Navy, Army and RAF) based in Northern Ireland on operational duties under Operation BANNER is planned to reduce from some 8,050 as at 15 September this year to no more than 5,000 by 31 July 2007.
	Under the terms of the updated Security Annex, and assuming a continuing enabling environment, there will be a permanent peacetime garrison of no more than 5,000 based in Northern Ireland after 31 July 2007. This will reflect the Government's global defence commitments, although some Northern Ireland or Great Britain based personnel will continue to provide a residual level of Army support to the police (for example, providing specialised ordnance disposal and, if needed, support for public order as described in Patten recommendations 59 and 66). The number of troops needed for these operational tasks will naturally depend on Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) requirements, but I very much welcome the PSNI's increasing ability to carry out their tasks without military support and look forward to this continuing.

Nuclear Weapons

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts on the future of the UK nuclear deterrent.

Des Browne: It remains our intention that decisions on the future of the UK's nuclear deterrent will be taken later this year. Officials are now working to prepare for these decisions and, as part of this work, we are getting information from a variety of sources. I am withholding the detail of any specific discussions with other Governments as this would, or would be likely to prejudice international relations.

Nuclear Weapons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the level of national security of UK allies who have chosen not  (a) to retain and  (b) to obtain a nuclear weapons capability.

Des Browne: holding answer 19 October 2006
	We do not make assessments of the national security arrangements of our NATO allies.

Operational Bonus

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the new operational bonus will be liable to  (a) employee and  (b) employer national insurance contributions.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 17 October 2006
	The new operational bonus, to be called operational allowance, will not be liable for either employee or employer national insurance contributions.

Operational Bonus

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the eligibility criteria for the new operational bonus.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 17 October 2006
	Yes. The eligibility criteria will form part of the regulations for the operational allowance; the regulations will be placed in the Library once they have been finalised.

Operational Bonus

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the first payment of the new operational bonus to be paid to armed forces personnel.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 17 October 2006
	The first payment of the new operational bonus, to be called operational allowance, will be made as soon as possible. Priority will be given to those returning (or who have already returned) from operational locations that qualify for the allowance.

Psychological Operations Units

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many psychological operations units are established in the field army; how many personnel are assigned to these units; and what his plans are to expand or establish additional units for this role.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 October 2006
	There is one psychological operations unit established in the field army, which is 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group. It is currently in the process of expansion from a primarily reservist to a regular unit, and is established for 71 personnel, both regular and reserves, drawn from all three services. There are no further plans to expand or establish additional units for this role at the present time.

Psychological Operations Units

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of the BBC have attended courses or seminars at Ministry of Defence establishments relating to psychological operations or psychological warfare activities since 1997.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 October 2006
	The term psychological operations replaced psychological warfare in MOD doctrine prior to 1962, as explained in the preface to then War Office Pamphlet Guide 9729. Consequently no employees of the BBC have attended courses or seminars at MOD establishments relating to psychological warfare in the period concerned.
	Psychological operations training relocated to Chicksands in April 1997. Central records indicate that no employees of the BBC have undergone training there. Guest speakers are invited periodically to present on psychological operations courses. No employees of the BBC have done so at Chicksands and we have no records of any BBC employee ever being invited in such a capacity. We are, however, aware of one BBC employee who attended a presentation by 15 (UK) Psychological Operations Group at HQ Land Command in 1999.

Stolen Military Equipment

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) handguns, rifles and other firearms,  (b) ammunition and munitions,  (c) radios,  (d) vehicles and spare parts,  (e) computer equipment,  (f) protective equipment,  (g) office equipment and  (h) mess silver, artworks and furnishings have been reported  (i) missing and (ii) stolen from military establishments since 2001.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 25 October 2006
	The above information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Trident

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the costs of decommissioning the  (a) submarines and  (b) missiles and warheads of the current Trident system.

Des Browne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 778W to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West (Paul Flynn). The indicative decommissioning liabilities are subject to periodic review.

TREASURY

Pensions

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss the taxation of pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss the taxation of pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Treasury Ministers regularly meet DWP Ministers to discuss a range of issues, including the taxation of pensions.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of public sector pensions as a share of gross domestic product in  (a) 1980,  (b) 1990 and  (c) 2000; what forecast he has made of the equivalent cost in (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2030, (iv) 2040 and (v) 2050; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the total share of public spending which will be accounted for by public sector pensions in  (a) 2035 and  (b) 2045;
	(3)  what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of public spending on public sector pensions in each year from 1980-81 to 2050-51; on what assumptions for  (a) the discount rate and  (b) longevity these estimates are based; when these assumptions were last updated; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Current estimates and future projections (over the next 50 years) of public service pensions as a share of GDP and of total public spending are available in the two Long Term Public Finance Reports published in 2004 and 2005. Comparable historic figures could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
	A note by the Government Actuary's Department and Her Majestys' Treasury on the assumptions used for the unfunded pension projections in the LTPFR was laid in the House of Commons Library in June 2006.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of unfunded public sector pension liabilities in each year since 1980;
	(2)  when the next estimate of the total public sector unfunded pension liability will be available; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent estimate he has made of the total unfunded public sector pensions liability; what this liability was in each year since 1990-91; on what assumptions his estimate is based; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Total unfunded public service pension liabilities are estimated to be 530 billion at 31 March 2005. The two previous comparable estimates of this total were 460 billion at 31 March 2004, and 425 billion at 31 March 2003. The estimates for years prior to 2003 were not made on a comparable basis. Comparable information is not held on the liabilities of the funded local government pension scheme or other funded public sector schemes.
	An explanation of the basis for the estimate of the total liabilities at 31 March 2005 and of the reasons for the changes from the comparable figure at 31 March 2004, which covered the assumptions used, was given in the technical note 'Total Liability of Unfunded Public Service Occupational Pension Schemes as at 31 March 2005' which my predecessor placed in the Library of the House on 2 March 2006.
	The most recent estimate was based on figures that were published in 2004-05 resource accounts. Resource accounts are published annually and accounts for 2005-06 for most of the unfunded public service schemes are now available, but, until all of them are available, it is not yet possible to calculate a comparable total at 31 March 2006.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which section of his Department is responsible for analysis of the costs of public sector pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Sections of the Treasury responsible for public service pensions policy, long-term fiscal policy, and public expenditure forecasting undertake central analyses of the cost of public service pensions, consulting internally and taking advice from the Government Actuary's Department as appropriate.
	Other Government Departments undertake analyses of the costs of individual public service pension schemes in line with the responsibilities of Ministers towards those individual schemes.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of total government revenues from public sector employee pension contributions in the latest year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Rounded to the nearest 0.1 billion, employee contributions to unfunded public service pension schemes were 4.5 billion and employee contributions to the funded Local Government Pension Schemes were 1.7 billion in the financial year 2004-05.
	Government do not hold aggregate estimates of employee contributions in the wider public sector.

Financial Inclusion

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to improve levels of financial inclusion; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: The Government's 120 million Financial Inclusion Fund is supporting new initiatives to increase access to banking, affordable credit and face-to-face money advice, with around 450 new money advisers. An independent Financial Inclusion Taskforce is monitoring progress and I will report to the House on next steps in the new year.

Gas and Electricity

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with energy suppliers on the recent reductions in the wholesale costs of gas and electricity.

John Healey: The recent reductions in the wholesale costs of gas and electricity are very welcome, and show how the new gas import infrastructure is delivering.
	Regulation of the gas market is a matter for Ofgem which has said it will monitor the market carefully to ensure that reduced costs incurred by suppliers are passed on to consumers in appropriate timescales.

Millennium Development Goals

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had at the recent International Monetary Fund meetings on progress on meeting the millennium development goals.

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he had at the recent International Monetary Fund meetings on progress towards the millennium development goals.

Edward Balls: The international community, and this Government, attaches the highest importance to assisting countries in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. In Singapore, at the time of the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank, this commitment was reinforced through: a pledge from donors to deliver on their Aid-for-Trade commitments; welcoming continued progress to a pilot Advanced Market Commitment for Pneumococcus by the end of the year; and further progress in developing plans for delivery of the education MDG in 17 countries, resulting in getting an additional 25 million primary school-aged children into school.

Child Trust Fund

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of Child Trust Fund take-up; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Child Trust Fund's success has exceeded our expectations. The latest set of account opening figures were published by HM Revenue and Customs on 29 September. These showed that over 1.8 million Child Trust Fund accounts have now been opened, with over 75 per cent. of parents using their child's voucher to open an account within the 12 month deadline. Early evidence from providers suggests that there have been significant additional contributions into children's accounts.

Private Finance Initiative

Peter Viggers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much private finance initiative expenditure has been categorised as  (a) on-balance and  (b) off-balance sheet since 1997.

John Healey: The asset/liability value of PFI/PPP's that are on the Government balance sheet should be available from the resource accounts of the contracting authority and these are also scored in capital departmental expenditure limits (DEL). Data on all projects that have reached financial lose can be found on the HM Treasury PFI Signed Deals List on the HM Treasury website:
	www.HM-Treasury.gov.uk
	The balance sheet treatment of PFI projects is determined by an independent auditor following United Kingdom generally accepted accounting practice, including financial reporting standards issued by the independent Accounting Standards Board (ASB).

World Trade

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial support he plans to provide to facilitate a resumption of world trade talks.

Edward Balls: To ensure that all countries, including developing countries, can share the benefits of world trade and globalisation, turn the rhetoric of Doha into positive progress, it is vital to provide increased support to developing countries for aid for trade. The UK alone committed to spend 100 million a year by 2010 on the institutions and people needed to support trade. Our total support for aid for trade, including support for infrastructurelike roads, ports, power and telecommunicationsis expected to increase by 2010-11. This would equate to $750 million a year in 2010.

Euro

Ian Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to make an assessment of the five tests for joining the Euro.

Edward Balls: The Government's policy on membership of the single currency was set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003. The Chancellor announced in Budget 2006 that:
	the Government does not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this budget.
	The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor's June 2003 statement.

Braille

David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements exist for correspondence in Braille with blind or partially-sighted claimants for tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs will, on request, provide written information in a number of accessible formats such as Braille, audio and large print. A home visit could also be offered to some claimants where this is considered to be more suitable.

Child Care

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many  (a) women,  (b) men and  (c) men who are the only wage earners in their households are exempt from paying tax on child care;
	(2)  how much tax exemption on child care has cost in terms of revenue foregone in each year for which records are available.

Dawn Primarolo: Employers and employees are not required to report the provision of tax-free employer supported child care provided to employees since the tax and national insurance contributions exemptions were introduced in April 2005.

Departmental Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  which of his Department's Ministers are members of the HM Treasury gymnasium; and what the cost of such membership is per annum;
	(2)  whether the  (a) running costs and  (b) membership fees of HM Treasury's gymnasium are subsidised from public funds; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1256W. Membership for the gym is available at the cost of 17.50 a month.

Employment

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total number of people of working age in the UK not in employment for each year from 1976 to 2006, broken down by  (a) lone parents,  (b) unemployed,  (c) those not working because of illness on disability,  (d) carers and  (e) other classifications; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about people not in employment for each year from 1976 to 2006. (96537)
	Table 1 gives estimates of the numbers of people resident in the United Kingdom who are not in employment. This includes those unemployed, and people inactive by their reason for inactivity.
	Table 2 gives estimates for lone parents not in employment.
	Both tables cover the three months ending June each year since 1997. Comparable estimates are not available for earlier periods.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: People of working age( 1)  not in work by reason 1997 to 2006United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			   Inactive 
			  Three months ending June each year  ILO unemployed  ILO unemploy  Total  Student  Looking after family/home  Temp sick/injured  Long-term sick/injured  Discouraged worker  Retired  Other 
			 1997 9,621 1,994 7,627 1,490 2,541 214 2,114 92 474 702 
			 1999 9,328 1,676 7,652 1,568 2,458 170 2,169 66 513 707 
			 2001 9,187 1,394 7,792 1,648 2,392 187 2,198 33 585 749 
			 2002 9,254 1,434 7,820 1,660 2,381 172 2,220 32 576 779 
			 2003 9,204 1,384 7,819 1,780 2,390 187 2,100 37 562 763 
			 2004 9,276 1,353 7,923 1,822 2,324 185 2,159 34 591 808 
			 2005 9,298 1,349 7,949 1,898 2,306 182 2,132 32 615 783 
			 2006 9,400 1,578 7,822 1,913 2,271 182 2,066 35 584 772 
			 (1) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.   Note:  Comparable data not available for 1998 and 2000.   Source:  ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS) 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Lone parents( 1)  of working age( 2)  not in work 1997 to 2006United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Three months ending June each year  Thousand 
			 1997 878 
			 1999 898 
			 2001 846 
			 2002 841 
			 2003 771 
			 2004 847 
			 2005 813 
			 2006 800 
			 (1) Refers to people who are neither married nor cohabiting and who have dependent children, who are defined as 0 to 15 year olds, or 16 to 18 year olds in full-time education.  (2) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.   Note:  Comparable data not available for 1998 and 2000.   Source:  ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Helplines

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1891W, on incoming phone calls, 
	(1)  how many calls encountering an engaged tone were to  (a) tax credit helplines and  (b) other helplines; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many calls to HM Revenue and Customs helplines in 2006 received an engaged tone; what the reasons were for the proportion of engaged calls as a percentage of total calls; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the number of calls receiving an engaged tone for  (a) the tax credit helpline and  (b) other helplines operated as part of HMRC's centrally managed Contact Centre Network.
	
		
			  Calls receiving an engaged tone( 1) , 2005-06 
			   February  March 
			 Tax credits 2 6 
			 Other helplines 6,912 5,887 
			 (1 )Call attempts where the caller was played an engaged tone.  Note: Figures in thousands rounded to the nearest thousand. 
		
	
	Engaged tones occur mainly at the busiest periods when callers constantly hit the redial button on modern telephone handsets.
	Engaged tone figures for 2006 will be available in the new year.

Life Expectancy

Dennis Skinner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the life expectancy is of  (a) men and  (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East; and what it was in (1) 1996 and (2) 2000 in each case.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East; and what it was in (1) 1996 and (b) 2000 in each case. (96949)
	Life expectancy figures are calculated as three year rolling averages. The table below provides the period life expectancy at birth for (a) men and (b) women in (i) the East Midlands and (ii) the South East government office regions, in (1) 1995-97, (2) 1999-2001, and (3) 2002-04 (the latest period available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Period life expectancy at birth( 1) , East Midlands and South East Government office regions( 2) ,1995-97,1999-2001  and 2002-04( 3) 
			  Years of life 
			   Male  Female 
			  Year( 3)  Life expectancy  95 percent confidence interval( 4)  Life expectancy  95 percent confidence interval( 4) 
			  East Midlands 
			 1995-97 74.8 (74.7-74.9) 79.7 (79.6-79.8) 
			 1999-2001 75.7 (75.6-75.8) 80.3 (80.2-80.4) 
			 2002-04 76.5 (76.4-76.6) 80.7 (80.6-80.8) 
			  
			  South East 
			 1995-97 75.8 (75.7-75.9) 80.5 (80.4-80.6) 
			 1999-2001 76.9 (76.9-77.0) 81.3 (81.2-81.4) 
			 2002-04 777 (77.7-77.8) 81.8 (81.7-81.9) 
			 (1) Period life expectancy at birth is an estimate of the average number of years a newborn baby would survive if he or she experienced the area's age-specific mortality rates for that time period throughout his or her life. The figure reflects mortality among those living in the area in each time period, rather than mortality among those born in each area. It is not therefore the number of years a baby born in the area in each time period could actually expect to live, both because the death rates of the area are likely to change in the future and because many of those born in the area will live elsewhere for at least some part of their lives.  (2) Using boundaries as of 2005 for all the years shown.  (3) Three year rolling averages, based on deaths registered in each year and mid-year population estimates.  (4) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer questions  (a) 76207,  (b) 76476,  (c) 76478,  (d) 76482 and  (e) 76485 tabled on 8 June, question 78392 tabled on 13 June, question 81148 tabled on 26 June and questions (i) 83329, (ii) 83330, (iii) 83382, (iv) 83793, (v) 83795, (vi) 83796 and (vii) 83812, tabled on 4 July, on tax credits, from the hon. Member for Yeovil.

Dawn Primarolo: They have all been answered.

Tax Credits

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the highest annual income is which an individual can earn and still qualify for tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: The maximum income at which a tax credit recipient's award is tapered to zero depends on the tax credit elements that a family is eligible for, for example number of children in the family, childcare costs, disabled worker or disabled child elements.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rates of sickness absence were among tax credits staff in each month since April 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: It is not practical to identify sickness absence relating to HMRC staff deployed on all aspects of administering tax credits.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information on the performance of the tax credits systems he receives on an  (a) monthly,  (b) quarterly and  (c) annual basis; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 July 2005,  Official Report, columns 621-22W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many compensation payments have been made by the tax credits sections of his Department since April 2003; what the total value is of those payments; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department's Code of Practice 1 Putting things right which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of its mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays. It does not keep separate details of compensation payments made specifically due to errors or delays.
	For the value of compensation payments made up to 30 September 2005 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 22 November 2005,  Official Report, column 1913W.
	The value of compensation payments made between 1 October 2005 and 30 September 2006 was around 782,700.
	For the number of compensation payments made up to 31 May 2006, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 360-61W.
	The number of compensation payments made between 1 June 2006 and 30 September 2006 was around 3,000.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the information technology for the tax credits system is  (a) stable and  (b) performing well; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The performance of the tax credit computer system is now stable and delivering flexible, responsive tax credits to 6 million families.

Tax Credits

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people  (a) declaring bankruptcy and  (b) entering individual voluntary agreements as a result of delays in payment of tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs do not hold this information.

Tax Credits

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people claimed  (a) working tax credit and  (b) child tax credit in Portsmouth, North in 2005-06;
	(2)  how many overpayments of  (a) working tax credit and  (b) child tax credit in Portsmouth, North were found to be a result of HM Revenue and Customs error in 2005-06.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of numbers of in-work families with tax credits awards, including information on overpayments and underpayments, for 2005-06 awards will not be available until after family circumstances and incomes for 2005-06 have been finalised.
	Provisional estimates for the number of in-work families by constituency with tax credit awards as at selected dates in 2005-06 are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm.
	Information on overpayments caused by HM Revenue and Customs error is not available at constituency level.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the tax credit take-up levels are for each quarter since April 2003.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on tax credits, including take-up rates and number of families receiving tax credits are available on the HMRC website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent forecast he has made of the gross cost of all tax credits in 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: A forecast for the public finances will be presented in the 2006 pre-Budget report.

Taxation Levels

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce levels of taxation.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government are committed to a modern and fair tax system, which encourages work, saving and investment, keeps pace with developments in business practice and the global economy, and raises sufficient revenue to fund the Government's objective to build world-class public services. All taxes are kept under review and are considered as part of the Budget process.

Unemployment (Hendon)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were unemployed in Hendon in  (a) May 1997 and  (b) September 2006; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 October 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (96929)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of employment for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	About 5,000 people resident in the Hendon parliamentary constituency were unemployed in the 12 months ending in February 1997 from the annual local area LFS. Latest APS data indicates that around 4,000 people resident in the Hendon constituency were unemployed in the 12 months ending in March 2006.
	These estimates, as with any from sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty. Changes in the estimates from year to year should be treated with particular caution
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). In May 1997, 3,141 people resident in the Hendon constituency were claiming JSA. In September 2006, the equivalent figure was 2,182. These counts are not seasonally adjusted and changes will be affected by seasonal factors.

PRIME MINISTER

Chequers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Prime Minister when he will publish a list of guests who have been entertained at Chequers.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 27 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 352-53W.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the Responses to Requests which are published on the Cabinet Office Freedom of Information publication scheme website (http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publicationscheme/). Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House. Information for 2006-07 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the financial year.

Departmental Staff

Oliver Heald: To ask the Prime Minister how many staff worked at No. 10 Downing street in each year since 1996-97.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Upper Bann (David Simpson) on 2 February 2006,  Official Report, column 633W.
	The total number of staff on the No. 10 payroll on 1 April 2006 was 216.

Gifts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 4W, to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael) on gifts, on what basis the decision was made that it would be inappropriate to disclose the information requested;
	(2)  when gifts have been given to overseas dignitaries at public cost by his Office in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code at paragraph 10.19 since 1997; to whom such gifts were given; what the gifts were; what the value of each gift was; and whether gifts were offered in exchange in each case.

Tony Blair: It would not be appropriate to provide details of the gifts and their cost as to do so could cause offence and discourtesy.

Gifts

Tim Loughton: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  when he last held discussions with the Cabinet Secretary about the exchange of gifts with overseas dignitaries; what discussions the Cabinet Secretary has with departmental permanent secretaries on the advice they should provide to Ministers on the  (a) exchange and  (b) offering of gifts to overseas dignitaries; and what consideration has been given to the inclusion of explicit guidance on this issue in the Ministerial Code;
	(2)  pursuant to paragraph 10.19 of the Ministerial Code, what the applicable rules are governing the offer of gifts to members of other governments or governmental organisations; and on what basis permanent secretaries determine whether rules are applicable.

Tony Blair: Guidance about the giving and receiving of gifts, and the role of permanent secretaries is set out in the Ministerial Code. Information relating to internal meetings, discussion and advice is not disclosed as to do so could harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion.

Iraq

Diane Abbott: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of whether his policy of participation in the Iraq  (a) war and  (b) occupation has met its objectives.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Cameron) at Prime Minister's questions on 18 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 866-68.

Staffordshire Ambulance Service

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Prime Minister what action he has taken in response to his meeting with hon. Members from Staffordshire on the future of the Staffordshire ambulance service and its First Responders.

Tony Blair: Hon. Members have raised with me on a number of occasions the work of First Responders and the case for the maintenance of the Staffordshire ambulance service.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Carter Report

David Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of commissioning the Carter Report into Legal Aid Services.

Vera Baird: The estimated total cost for the Carter Review, which commenced in July 2005 and was completed in July 2006 is 1.5 million.

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much has been spent by her Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: It is not possible to list the costs spent on chartering aircraft and non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years without incurring disproportionate costs as the expenditure is not separately identifiable within the Department's accounts.
	Total overseas travel costs for civil servants for the Department, which includes Court Service (Her Majesty's Court Service from April 2005), Public Guardianship Office and Department for Constitutional Affairs Headquarters, are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Period  Amount () 
			 2005-06 164,098 
			 2004-05 146,517 
			 2003-04 140,267 
			 2002-03 123,750 
			 2001-02 83,513 
		
	
	In respect of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. Where non-scheduled aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Information for 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006. Copies of the lists are available in the Library for the Reference of Members.
	All Ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members. All official travel by civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code, a copy of which is also available in the Library of the House for the reference of Members.

Firearms

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what average sentence was  (a) given and  (b) served for those convicted of possession of a firearm in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	The table shows the average length of custodial sentence (excluding life) imposed by the courts for the various offences involving the unlawful possession of firearms in England and Wales for the years 2000 to 2004, the latest year for which figures are currently available. It is compiled on the principal offence basis. Although care is taken in collating and analysing the returns used to compile such figures, the data are of necessity subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Consequently, although some figures may be shown to the last digit in order to provide a comprehensive record of the information collected, they are not necessarily accurate to the last digit shown. Data on average time served, which are obtained from the prison IT system, are not available separately for specific offences as accuracy at this level of detail cannot be guaranteed. We have started a programme of work in the Home Office looking at the quality of existing court sentencing and prison data and how this might be improved.
	
		
			  Average length of immediate custodial sentences (excluding life) for unlawful possession of a firearm at all courts: England and Wales 2000 to 2004 
			  Months 
			Average sentence lengths (excluding life) 
			  Offence  Statute  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Possessing etc. firearms or ammunition without firearm certificate Firearms Act 1968 S. 1(1) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 S.157 Sch.8 16.5 19.2 18.1 21.7 20.7 
			 Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition Firearms Act 1968 S.5(1) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 S.157 Sch.8 part III 18.7 18.7 21.3 27.3 35.1(1) 
			 Possession of firearms with intent to endanger life Firearms Act 1968 S.16 as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S.28(2) 43.8 57.8 52.6 63.5 69.2 
			 Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence Firearms Act 1968 S.16A (as amended by Firearms (Amendment) Act 1994) 19.5 20.2 18.5 24.3 23.0 
			 Possessing firearm or imitation firearm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in Schedule 1 of the Act Firearms Act 1968 S.17(2) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S.28(3) 34.6 21.3 24.4 37.9 33.7 
			 Possessing firearm or imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence or resist arrest etc. Firearms Act 1968 S.18(1) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 1972 S.28(3) 30.2 45.3 59.2 55.4 58.8 
			 Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime Firearms Act 1968 S.21(4) as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 S.157 Sch.8 part III 11.8 10.1 16.5 18.9 17.5 
			 (1) A minimum five year sentence was introduced for offences committed from January 2004.   Notes:  1. Figures are compiled on the principal offence basissee para. 3.13 of Appendix 3 of 'Sentencing Statistics 2004, England and Wales' (Home Office Statistical Bulletin No. 15/05).  2. Although care is taken in collating and analysing the returns used to compile such figures, the data are of necessity subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large-scale recording system. Consequently, although figures are shown to the last digit in order to provide a comprehensive record of the information collected, they are not necessarily accurate to the last digit shown.   Source:  RDS NOMS 24-07-2006

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Chris Grayling: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to her answer of 20 June 2006,  Official Report, column 1762W, on the Parliamentary Ombudsman, to which recommendations her Department has declined to give full effect.

Vera Baird: The two occasions where the Department has declined to give full effect to recommendations relate to the following two cases A7/03 and A16/03 made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
	Information on these cases A7/03 and A16/03 is set out in the Ombudsman's report Access to Official Information: Investigations Completed: November 2002June 2003 (HC 951 July 2003), and can also be accessed through the Ombudsman's website at http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/improving_services/selected_cases/AOI/aoi0306/index.html
	Copies of both of the above reports are available in the Library.

Rape Trial Defendants

Simon Hughes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many defendants in rape trials were  (a) acquitted and  (b) convicted in each year since 1997, broken down by the (i) sex and (ii) age of the alleged victim.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty and acquitted( 1)  at all courts for rape offences, for which the age of the victim is specified in the offence description, England and Wales 1997-2004( 2,3) 
			   Number acquitted  Found guilty 
			  Female rape offences   
			  Rape of a female child under 13 by a male ( 4)   
			 2004 7 5 
			
			  Rape of a female aged under 16   
			 1997 235 198 
			 1998 335 221 
			 1999 342 247 
			 2000 335 206 
			 2001 259 178 
			 2002 149 217 
			 2003 346 254 
			 2004 316 275 
			
			  Rape of a female aged 16 or over   
			 1997 522 286 
			 1998 628 323 
			 1999 589 268 
			 2000 546 277 
			 2001 533 272 
			 2002 261 291 
			 2003 617 294 
			 2004 600 325 
			  Male rape offences   
			  Rape of a male child under 13 by a male( 4)   
			  2004 1 1 
			
			  Rape of a male aged under 16   
			 1997 20 24 
			 1998 25 15 
			 1999 38 37 
			 2000 34 24 
			 2001 20 26 
			 2002 13 31 
			 2003 21 29 
			 2004 34 28 
			
			  Rape of a male aged 16 or over   
			 1997 15 9 
			 1998 14 12 
			 1999 24 9 
			 2000 21 12 
			 2001 19 18 
			 2002 11 9 
			 2003 17 6 
			 2004 6 10 
			 (1) Includes defendants discharged and dismissed at magistrates courts and 'not tried' and acquitted at crown courts. (2) These data are provided on the principal offence basis. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Offences came into effect in 2004 when the sexual Offences act 2003 came into force.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's policy is on the display of religious  (a) artefacts,  (b) symbols and  (c) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Munn: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not have a policy relating to the display of  (a) artefacts,  (b) symbols and  (c) dress by its staff. None of its staff has been subject to disciplinary proceedings in relation to dress.

Departmental Mail

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of the Department's mail is shipped using private companies; and what the cost was over the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government was created on 5 May 2006. The following information covers the period from October 2005 to September 2006, and thus includes data for DCLG's predecessor Department, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
	Less than 1 per cent. by volume of all DCLG/ODPM postal services were provided by a private company at a cost of 1,236.10. This was for the provision of international postal services.

Ecton Lane Park Travellers Site

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the value for money of the spending of her Department's grant for the refurbishment of the Ecton Lane Park Travellers' site.

Meg Munn: All bids for Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant are assessed by independent consultants on a number of criteria including value for money. On this basis we were satisfied that the scheme to refurbish Ecton Lane Park Travellers' site represented reasonable value for money when grant was awarded.
	Northampton borough council has undertaken an investigation into the refurbishment of this site. Councils have a general responsibility to secure value for money in the use of funds, subject to scrutiny by the district auditor, and are responsible for taking any remedial action where problems are highlighted.

Supporting People Programme

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will estimate the total  (a) savings and  (b) costs across all Government Departments associated with maintaining vulnerable people in housing in the community using the Supporting People programme.

Phil Woolas: My Department is currently undertaking an assessment of the costs and savings arising from investment in housing-related support through the Supporting People programme. A report from this work will be published in due course.

Sustainable Building

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date she plans to introduce the new code of sustainable building.

Angela Smith: I hope to launch the Code for Sustainable Homes before the end of the year.

SCOTLAND

Engagements

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many  (a) public speeches and  (b) official visits he has made since 14 March; and how many letters he sent in this period.

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 October 2006 to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael).

Ministerial Activity

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what  (a) public speeches and  (b) official visits he has made on departmental business since 5 May 2005; and how many letters he sent in this period.

David Cairns: Since his appointment as Secretary of State for Scotland, my right hon. Friend has made official visits, and made speeches to, some of the key Scottish companies and players in the commerce, industry and energy sectors. In keeping with his specific interests, my right hon. Friend has a meeting tomorrow with the Big 6 (the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE), Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), Institute of Directors (IOD) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)).
	The Secretary of State and I have personally sent over 350 letters in this period.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Departmental Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much was spent by her Office on food and alcohol for its staff working out of office in each year since 2001-02.

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold the information in the form requested which can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Children's Rights

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings Ministers in his Department have held with children since 10 August 2005 to discuss children's rights; and what suggestions were received.

Maria Eagle: Ministers have held a series of meetings with children and young people from 10 August 2005. These are set out in the table and include meetings with traditionally hard-to-reach groups and which provides information on the date of each meeting and the comments or suggestion made by the children and young people who were present.
	
		
			  Minister  Date  Sponsoring/organising body  Subject matter  Suggestions received/comments made by young people 
			 Lord Rooker 17 August 2005 St Columb's Park House, Reconciliation Centre, Londonderry. Opportunity to visit the centre and engage with young people involved in reconciliation work. Need to tackle underage drinking and negative reporting of young people in the media. 
			  
			 Angela Smith 25 October 2005 Meeting with the Commissioner for Children and Young People (two young people in attendance). Consultation on schools admissions arrangements. Comments made on proposed new schools admissions arrangements including: pupil profiles; family focused criteria; geographical criteria; schools admissions criteria 
			  
			 Lord Rooker 22 November 2005 Meeting with the Commissioner for Children and Young People (two young people in attendance). Range of issues raised by Commissioner. Concerns about lack of planning for the future of children and young people with disabilities, especially those with mental health needs; participation of children and young people in decision-making; the need for the Minister for Children and Young People to be 'vetted' in accordance with procedures; youth service remaining within the education sector 
			  
			 Lord Rooker 9 March 2006 Commissioner for Children and Young PeopleYouth Panel representatives. Opportunity to engage with children and young people on a range of issues. Minister asked to comment on how seriously Government was taking 'vetting'; the role of the Minister for Children in relation to anti-bullying policies; bullying; consulting with children and young people in the care system and acting on their views; consulting with children and young people as part of the RPA; the need for guidance on Schools Councils; the need for greater provision for cycling in Northern Ireland. Group extended am invitation to the Minister to attend their residential weekend. 
			  
			 Angela Smith 13 March 2006 Commissioner for Children and Young PeopleYouth Panel representatives. Recorded interview by youth panel member played at the Schools Councils conference. Importance of school councils; benefits of school councils; need for children and young people to be involved in decisions about school life. 
			  
			 Lord Rooker 16 March 2006 Young People representing the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities. Opportunity to engage with children and young people from an ethnic minority backgroundrange of issues. Need for the next stage of the Racial Equality Strategy to look at children's and young people's issues; effectiveness of school bullying policies, particularly in relation to racist bullying; need for training of teachers to deal effectively with bullying and children affected by bullying; additional services for fee-paying foreign students; issues relating to the wearing of 'cultural clothing'; need to empower young people to have real input in the future. 
			  
			 Lord Rooker 24 March 2006 Commissioner for Children and Young PeopleYouth Panel residential at Share Centre. Follow up to earlier meeting. Minister responding to the invitation to attend residential extended at meeting on 9 March 2006. 
			  
			 Lord Rooker 9 May 2006 Northern Ireland Youth Forum Opportunity to engage with children and young peoplerange of issues. Need for formal structures for engagement with children and young people, similar to those in operation in other parts of the UK, for example, Funky Dragon in Wales . Proposals for a Northern Ireland Network for Youth welcomed. 
			  
			 Maria Eagle 6 June 2006 VOYPICcare experienced young people. Opportunity to engage with children and young people on a range of issues relevant to children and young people in and leaving care. Overview of services provided by VOYPIC presented, including the CASPAR project and advocacy and mentoring projects.

Civil Partnerships

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have entered into civil partnership arrangements in each month since they were introduced.

David Hanson: Civil Partnership was introduced in Northern Ireland in December 2005. The following table shows the number of civil partnerships registered in Northern Ireland between then and 30 September 2006 by registration month.
	
		
			  Number of Civil Partnership Registrations in Northern Ireland from December 2005 to September 2006 by registration month 
			  Registration month  Registrations 
			 December 2005 12 
			 January 2006 7 
			 February 2006 10 
			 March 2006 14 
			 April 2006 6 
			 May 2006 10 
			 June 2006 19 
			 July 2006 9 
			 August 2006 14 
			 September 2006 8 
			 Total 109

Correspondence

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will reply to the letter of 10 July 2006 from the hon. Member for North Down in relation to the human rights of care home patients in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: I have now written to the hon. Lady on this matter and apologise for the delay.

Departmental Dress Code

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his Department's policy is on the display of religious  (a) artefacts,  (b) symbols and  (c) dress by its staff; how many staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding this policy in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office has no explicit policy about the display of religious artefacts, symbols or dress. However, the Department's Equal Opportunities Policy contains general guidance stating
	The Northern Ireland Office is an Equal Opportunity employer. This means that we want everyone who works in the Department to be treated fairly and equally. We all have the right to equality of opportunityand to a good and harmonious working environment. We should be able to work in an atmosphere which encourages us to use our talents and skillsand in which none of us feels threatened or intimidated.
	Both management and Trade Unions are fully committed to this policy that seeks to provide a workplace that encourages mutual respect, harmonious working and where no one feels threatened or intimidated.
	No staff have been subject to disciplinary proceedings regarding these issues in the past five years.

Ferry Services

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will discuss with ferry operators increasing competition on the Northern Ireland to England route.

David Cairns: I have no plans to do so. Development of seaborne transport links is a matter for commercial decisions by transport operators and the Northern Ireland ports.

Film Industry

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much revenue has been raised from the film production industry in Northern Ireland since 28 July 2005.

Maria Eagle: The Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission is the lead organisation in developing the film and television industry in Northern Ireland. The Commission administers the Northern Ireland Film Production Fund which is a 5.5 million fund that aims to attract inward investment in the form of high value productionsboth feature films and television dramato shoot on location in Northern Ireland.
	Since 28 July 2005, 8.1 million of additional revenue has been raised from the film production industry by this fund.

Film Industry

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to market Northern Ireland as a base for film production.

Maria Eagle: The Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission is the lead organisation in developing the film and television industry in Northern Ireland. The Commission has a comprehensive marketing strategy in place and actively markets Northern Ireland as a location for film and television production. This strategy includes:
	Advertising in leading trade papers such as Screen International, Broadcast and Variety and lobbying of local press to include articles or news items;
	Establishing a joint marketing initiative with the Irish Film Board (Irish Pavilion) at Cannes where high-level meetings are conducted with recognised producers, decision-makers, influences and financiers of independent film;
	Support of the UK Pavilion (PACT) at MipTV and MipCom in Cannes;
	Use of a number of mediums such as the NIFTC's website, CINI magazine, e-zines and the NIFTC's Production Guide to continually inform the film and television market of the benefits of Northern Ireland as a film location.
	In the three year period to 31 March 2007 the Commission expects to have attracted 17 film and television drama productions to shoot on location in Northern Ireland.

Needle and Syringe Exchange

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pharmacies in Northern Ireland have participated in the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme in each year since its introduction.

Paul Goggins: The number of pharmacies in Northern Ireland that have participated in the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme in each year since its introduction is shown in the following table.
	The Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme was introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2001.
	
		
			   Number of pharmacies 
			 2001-02(1) 8 
			 2002-03 8 
			 2003-04 8 
			 2004-05 8 
			 2005-06 9 
			 (1) Initially there were five participating pharmacies in the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme but by the end of 2001-02 there were eight

Needle and Syringe Exchange

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many returns of used drug-taking equipment there were within the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The drug-taking equipment that is issued to clients in the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme is returned in black CinBins. The participating pharmacies in the scheme record the number of bins returns at each visit, but these bins are never opened and so the exact number of needles and syringes returned is not recorded.
	The following table shows the number of visits where the client has returned at least one bin, and the total number of bins returned.
	
		
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Number of visits where the client returned at least one bin 4,450 4,010 3,872 
			 Number of bins returned 7,081 6,801 6,667

Needle and Syringe Exchange

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of visits to pharmacies participating in the Northern Ireland Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme were made by  (a) people aged (i) under 21, (ii) between 21 and 30, (iii) between 31 and 40 and (iv) over 40 years of age,  (b) males (A) in total, (B) under 21, (C) between 21 and 30, (D) between 31 and 40 and (E) over 40 years of age and  (c) females (1) in total, (2) under 21, (3) between 21 and 30, (4) between 31 and 40 and (5) over 40 years of age in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows what percentage of visits to pharmacies participating in the Northern Ireland Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme were made by  (a) people aged (i) under 21, (ii) between 21 and 30, (iii) between 31 and 40, and (iv) over 40 years of age, in each of the last three years.
	The age categories in this question are different from those used in the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme annual reports, and so the following tables cannot be compared to the age profile given in the annual reports.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Under 21 2 2 3 
			 21-30 54 48 46 
			 31-40 33 42 46 
			 Over 40 11 8 6 
		
	
	The following table shows what percentage of visits to pharmacies participating in the Northern Ireland Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme were made by  (b) males, (A) in total, (B) under 21, (C) between 21 and 30, (D) between 31 and 40, and (E) over 40 years of age in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Males 83 89 87 
			 
			 Under 21 2 3 3 
			 21-30 55 49 46 
			 31-40 34 42 46 
			 Over 40 9 7 5 
		
	
	The following table shows what percentage of visits to pharmacies participating in the Northern Ireland Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme were made by  (c) females (1) in-total, (2) under 21,  (e) between 21 and 30, (4) between 31 and 40 and (5) over 40 years of age in each of the last three years.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Female 17 11 13 
			 
			 Under 21 2 1 1 
			 21-30 49 39 47 
			 31-40 26 38 43 
			 Over 40 24 23 8

Needle and Syringe Exchange

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) syringes and  (b) needles were issued as part of the Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows the number of syringes and needles issued in each of the last three years by the Northern Ireland Needle and Syringe Exchange scheme.
	
		
			  Number 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Syringes 82,731 86,056 85,801 
			 Needles 82,589 79,489 65,111

Needle and Syringe Exchange

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of those visiting pharmacies participating in the Northern Ireland needle and syringe exchange scheme reported  (a) themselves to be new users of the scheme and  (b) that they had shared needles in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows the number of clients visiting the Northern Ireland needle and syringe exchange scheme  (a) (i) who reported themselves to be new users of the scheme and also the number of clients  (b) (i) who reported that had 'currently shared equipment'.
	
		
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Number of visits where a client reported themselves to be a new user to the scheme 356 320 318 
			 Number of visits where a client reported currently sharing equipment 17 12 17 
			 Total number of visits 7,508 7,440 8,797 
		
	
	The following table shows the percentage of  (a) (ii) clients who reported themselves to be new users of the scheme and the percentage of  (b) (ii) clients who reported that they had currently shared equipment of the overall total number of visits made to the scheme.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Percentage of visits where a client reported themselves to be a new user to the scheme 5 4 4 
			 Percentage of visits where a client reported currently sharing equipment 0.2 0.2 0.2 
		
	
	As the data are collected in an anonymised form it is not possible to report directly on the number of individuals using the needle and syringe exchange scheme, therefore figures are expressed as a percentage of the total number of visits.

Needle and Syringe Exchange

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits were made to pharmacies in Northern Ireland participating in the needle and syringe exchange scheme in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The following table shows the number of visits that were made to pharmacies in Northern Ireland participating in the needle and syringe exchange scheme in each of the last three years by users of the scheme.
	
		
			   Number of visits 
			 2003-04 7,508 
			 2004-05 7,440 
			 2005-06 8,797

PFI Projects

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by his Department on Private Finance Initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: There has been no expenditure by the Northern Ireland Departments or the Northern Ireland Office on private finance initiative projects postponed pending further consideration or stopped in the last 12 months.

Rating System

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the pilot arrangement announced on 22 July 2005 between the Valuation and Lands Agency and Belfast City Council to improve rating service and cut out unnecessary administration and inspections by officials of new and altered properties; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The pilot announced in July 2005 started in April 2005 when the Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA) entered into a joint project with Belfast city council (Building Control) for the timely provision by the council of full survey details on all changes to properties (including new builds). In Belfast this project has significantly reduced the average time involvement by VLA and increased productivity almost threefold. Although, no precise figures are yet available, valuations are also being completed in a timelier manner.
	VLA are seeking to extend the project to include Derry and Lisburn city councils in 2006 and eventually, by agreement, to all councils.
	To that end, VLA is in the process of securing the temporary secondment of the Belfast city council manager to lead the project and assist in implementing the process throughout Northern Ireland.

Western Education and Library Board

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the boundaries are of the land under the control of the Western Education and Library Board near Chapel Road primary school in Derry.

Maria Eagle: The Western Education and Library Board does not own any land in the immediate vicinity of Chapel Road primary school. The nearest board owned property is Lisneal college in Irish street, which is approximately 700m from the primary school and totals 4.89 hectares.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult Education

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received about Learning and Skills Council funding for adult education courses in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Our records for the last 12 months indicate that we have received 506 pieces of correspondence on a range of FE funding issues including funding for adult education courses. This includes 237 letters from MPs which include correspondence forwarded from FE college principals and in addition to these letters we have received 14 letters directly from FE college principles on FE funding issues.
	Both I and my colleagues have regular meetings with providers and stakeholders and MPs including representative organisations such as the Association of Colleges and the Association of Learning Providers about adult education.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of children in pupil referral units have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Information on the number of pupils by type of need is not collected from pupil referral units. However, information on the number of pupils with any special educational needs is collected and is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Pupil referral units: number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), January 2006, England 
			   Pupils on roll( 1)  Number of pupils( 1)  Percentage of pupils 
			 With statements of SEN 15,240 2,290 15.0 
			 With SEN without statements 15,240 7,780 51.0 
			 (1) Excludes dually registered pupils. Includes pupils with other providers.   Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.   Source: Schools' Census.

ContinYou

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the charitable company ContinYou is expected to make its database of supplementary schools available for inspection; what definition ContinYou uses to decide whether an organisation is a supplementary school; which supplementary schools in London have been involved with ContinYou's quality assessment pilot scheme; and whether his Department plans to expand the quality assessment as a way of encouraging supplementary schools to take part in statutory projects.

Jim Knight: holding answer 16 October 2006
	ContinYou currently has a small database of supplementary schools and lead contacts. It numbers about 800 separate entries. There are plans to develop the database both in terms of its size and functionality to ensure that the future database contains a range of core data that can be made available on-line and that enables users to search for schools by location, type, and community served.
	ContinYou deem an organisation to be a supplementary school when it provides taught lessons outside of school hours that supplement or complement its students' mainstream education. Those lessons can be additional tuition on national curriculum subjects (and usually Maths, English, Science and ICT), but can also include community language lessons and cultural and heritage studies. Some supplementary schools may also offer religious tuition. Others offer a much wider range of activities including sports and leisure, creative activities, trips and excursions, and parental learning and support.
	The following supplementary schools were involved in piloting the Quality Framework for Supplementary Schools. The pilot included 14 schools from 6 local authorities. The schools were:
	Asian Resource Centre (Greenwich)
	Hindu Youth Association (Greenwich)
	Somali and Somaliland Lewisham Community (Lewisham)
	British Somali CommunitySouth Camden Community Supplementary School (Camden)
	Esforal (Camden)
	Mandela Supplementary School (Camden)
	Moroccan Supplementary School (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea)
	Azza Supplementary School (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea)
	Somali Mothers and Children's Organisation Supplementary School (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea)
	Suleymaniye Turkish Boarding School (Hackney)
	Chinese Independent School of Tower Hamlets (Tower Hamlets)
	Culloden Bangladeshi Parents Association (Tower Hamlets)
	Stepney Dynamic Youth (Tower Hamlets)
	Stifford TJRS-TRA Community Centre (Tower Hamlets)
	The Department welcomes the development of the Quality Framework for Supplementary Schools as a way of supporting supplementary schools to improve their teaching and practices, of recognising their effort and achievements, and of encouraging both supplementary and mainstream schools to work together more effectively. ContinYou is currently considering how it can develop its work around the Quality Framework for Supplementary Schools.

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent by his Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel in each of the last five years.

Parmjit Dhanda: According to our records my Department spent 22,000 on chartering private aircraft in 2003 with no expenditure in any of the other years.
	We have no record of any expenditure on non-scheduled air travel for the period in question.
	In respect of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. Where non-scheduled aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Information for 2005/06 was published on 24 July 2006. Copies of the lists are available in the Library for the reference of Members.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the ministerial code and travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members. All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the civil service management code, a copy of which is also available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Early Years Education

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many free early years education places have been available in  (a) Suffolk,  (b) Norfolk,  (c) Essex and  (d) Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The available information on the number of part-time funded places filled by three and four year olds in Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire local authority areas is shown in the following tables.
	Since April 2004 all three and four year olds have been entitled to a free, good quality, early education place consisting of 12.5 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. This will be extended to 15 hours a week by 2010 and by that time, parents who wish to do so will also be able to access the free entitlement flexibly across a minimum of three days.
	
		
			  Number of part time funded places( 1 ,2 ) filled by three and four year olds, local authority: Suffolk 
			   Part-time funded places filled by 3 year olds  Part-time funded places filled by 4 year olds 
			  Position in January each year  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 3)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 3 year olds  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 4)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 4 year olds 
			 1997 610  610   (5)7,400 
			 1998 560  560   (5)7,600 
			 1999 720  720   (5)8,000 
			 2000 630 (6)0 600   (5)8,000 
			 2001 860 (6)480 1,300   (5)7,600 
			 2002 1,000 (6)3,200 4,200 6,300 (5)1,600 7,900 
			 2003 1,100 (6)3,300 4,400 6,100 (7)1,700 7,800 
			 2004 1,300 (8)4,300 5,600 5,800 (9)1,600 7,300 
			 2005 1,300 (8)4,400 5,700 5,800 (9)1,500 7,300 
			 2006 1,300 (8)4,400 5,700 5,500 (9)1,500 7,000 
			 (1 )A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2 )Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate. (3 )Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (4 )Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (5 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (6 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (7 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census. (8 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31st December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. (9 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of part time funded places( 1, 2 ) filled by three and four year olds, local authority: Norfolk 
			   Part-time funded places filled by 3 year olds  Part-time funded places filled by 4 year olds 
			  Position in January each year  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 3)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 3 year olds  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 4)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 4 year olds 
			 1997 1,500  1,500   (5)8,200 
			 1998 1,800  1,800   (5)8,400 
			 1999 1,900  1,900   (5)8,500 
			 2000 1,900 (6)0 1,900   (5)8,900 
			 2001 1,900 (6)130 2,100   (5)8,400 
			 2002 1,800 (6)3,000 4,700 6,600 (5)1,900 8,400 
			 2003 1,800 (6)4,300 6,200 6,500 (5)1,900 8,400 
			 2004 2,100 (8)4,400 6,500 6,300 (9)1,800 8,200 
			 2005 2,000 (8)4,100 6,100 6,200 (9)1,700 7,900 
			 2006 2,200 (8)4,700 6,900 5,900 (9)1,800 7,700 
			 (1 )A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2 )Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate. (3 )Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (4 )Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (5 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (6 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (7 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census. (8 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31st December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. (9 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of part time funded places( 1, 2 ) filled by three and four year olds, Local Authority: Essex 
			   Part-time funded places filled by 3 year olds  Part-time funded places filled by 4 year olds 
			  Position in January each year  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 3)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 3 year olds  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 4)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 4 year olds 
			 1997 1,600  1,600   (5)14,000 
			 1998 1,900  1,900   (5)15,000 
			 1999 2,000  2,000   (5)15,200 
			 2000 2,000 (6)0 2,000   (5)15,100 
			 2001 2,000 (6)220 2,200   (5)15,100 
			 2002 2,000 (6)6,700 8,700 10,400 (5)4,700 5 15,100 
			 2003 2,000 (6)9,500 11,500 10,400 (7)4,600 7 15,000 
			 2004 2,000 (8)9,700 11,700 10,500 (9)4,500 9 15,000 
			 2005 1,900 (8)10,000 11,900 9,900 (9)4,500 9 14,400 
			 2006 2,000 9,900 11,900 9,900 (9)4,200 9 14,100 
			 (1 )A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2 )Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate. (3 )Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (4 )Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (5 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (6 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (7 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census. (8 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31st December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. (9 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of part time funded places( 1, 2 ) filled by three and four year olds, local authority: Cambridgeshire 
			   Part-time funded places filled by 3 year olds  Part-time funded places filled by 4 year olds 
			  Position in January each year  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 3)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 3 year olds  Maintained nursery and primary schools( 4)  Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers  Total 4 year olds 
			 1997 1,100  1,100   (5)5,800 
			 1998 1,100  1,100   (5)6,500 
			 1999 1,200  1,200   (5)6,300 
			 2000 1,100 (6)0 1,100   (5)6,400 
			 2001 1,200 (6)870 2,000   (5)5,900 
			 2002 1,200 (6)1.500 2,700 4,700 (5)1,600 6,200 
			 2003 1,100 (6)2,700 3,800 4,600 (7)1,600 6,200 
			 2004 1,000 (8)2,800 3,800 4,500 (9)1,600 6,100 
			 2005 980 (8)4,000 4,900 4,400 (9)1,300 5,700 
			 2006 1,100 (8)4,000 5,100 4,500 (9)1,500 6,000 
			 (1 )A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2 )Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate. (3 )Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (4 )Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census. (5 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (6 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise. (7 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census. (8 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31st December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. (9 )Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census. 
		
	
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four year olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 32/2006 'Provision for children under five years of age in EnglandJanuary 2006 (final)' in September, which is available on my Department's website at:
	www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.

Faith Schools

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of pupils attending  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools in North Dorset are (i) Christian, (ii) Muslim, (iii) Jewish, (iv) Buddhist, (v) Hindu and (vi) of no religion.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Faith Schools

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many faith schools there are in North Dorset.

Jim Knight: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : number of schools by religious character, January 2006, North Dorset parliamentary constituency 
			   Maintained primary  Maintained secondary 
			 No religious character 12 5 
			 Church of England 27 3 
			 Roman Catholic 2 0 
			 Methodist 0 0 
			 Other Christian faith(2) 0 0 
			 Jewish 0 0 
			 Muslim 0 0 
			 Sikh 0 0 
			 Other 0 0 
			 Total 41 8 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes schools of mixed denomination and other Christian beliefs.  Source: Schools' Census and EduBase

Hard-to-teach Children

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what criteria are used to determine which children are designated as hard to teach;
	(2)  what guidelines his Department provides for educating 'hard to teach' children.

Jim Knight: 'Hard to teach' is not part of our standard terminology for describing groups of children and young people; therefore we do not have criteria to define it.
	'Hard to reach' and 'hard to place' are similar terms used in the Department's guidance to schools and wider children's services. 'Hard to reach' is not precisely defined, but refers to children and families who are generally disengaged from mainstream public services, and are at risk of experiencing poor life chances and outcomes. 'Hard to place' refers to children who experience difficulties gaining admission to a school, perhaps because they have moved due to family circumstances, or have been excluded from another school. This issue is addressed in the new School Admissions code, for which the current consultation ends 1 December 2006.
	The Department also publishes guidance on children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including the SEN code of practice and toolkit.

International GCSE

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has made on the comparability study between the GCSE and the International GCSE.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) have completed their working paper on the comparability between the General Certificate for Secondary Education (GCSE) and the International General Certificate for Secondary Education (iGCSE). Now, with the agreement of Cambridge Assessment and Edexcel, QCA will be asked to publish its working paper, so that the Government can invite a wider debate within the education community on the iGCSE's use in the maintained sector.

IT Projects

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which information technology projects are being undertaken by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies; what the (i) start date, (ii) original planned completion date, (iii) expected completion date, (iv) originally planned costs and (v) estimated costs are of each; and if he will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information as requested is not readily available centrally within the Department for Education and Skills. To respond fully would involve an extensive internal and external information collection exercise which would exceed the recommended disproportionate cost threshold.
	However, to be helpful, some historical information is available. Analysis of the Department's individual learning account (ILA) programme is given in the report: The House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts (2003), Individual Learning Accounts, Tenth Report of Session 2002-03 (Ref: HC 544), TSO, London.
	An analysis of the Department's UK e-University Project is given in the report: The House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee (2005), UK e-University, Third Report of Session 2004-05 (Ref: HC 205), TSO, London.
	In addition, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes) on 13 June 2005,  Official Report, column 192W, and 3 November 2005,  Official Report, column 1314W.

Prison Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to measure education, training or employment outcomes for released prisoners.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the education, training or employment (ETE) status of each prisoner due for release is recorded on the Prison Service's PSimon database for KPI monitoring.
	The following table shows an increase of 9 per cent. in prisons' compliance with recording over the past three years, along with a 23 per cent. rise in ETE outcomes. ETE outcomes also include those who attended FRESHSTART appointments at Jobcentre Plus. FRESHSTART is the initiative whereby prisoners who do not have a job or training place to go to on release are linked into employment, training and benefits advice and support immediately after release.
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Discharges 86,353 87,449 85,685 
			 Information Recorded 77,188 82,650 83,991 
			 Information Recorded (percentage of Discharges) 89 95 98 
			 ETE outcomes (inc. FRESHSTART ) 21,327 33,946 41,146 
			 ETE outcomes (inc. FRESHSTART ) as percentage of total discharges 25 39 48

School Buildings

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total capital investment in school buildings was in  (a) each local education authority area and  (b) each constituency in each of the last 20 years.

Jim Knight: The Department maintains central records of capital allocations to local authorities and schools in England since 1996-97. Detailed records are not available before this date. Allocations by local authority area, and by year since 1996-97, are summarised in the following tables, in 000. The Department does not maintain records on a constituency basis.
	Capital allocations to local authorities in each year represent a financial commitment by the Department to provide resources. Capital expenditure on school buildings in each year will, due to timing differences and priorities agreed locally, differ from this. The local authority may have access to additional funding, including borrowing and proceeds from the sale of assets, which it may use to invest in school capital assets.
	
		
			  000 
			  Local authority name  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,812 1,375 3,200 3,535 5,544 
			 Barnet 3,096 1,764 5,622 3,859 11,917 
			 Barnsley 3,875 3,167 7,237 5,112 7,574 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 3,276 2,765 2,591 2,400 5,497 
			 Bedfordshire 3,162 2,821 6,261 7,230 16,740 
			 Bexley 1,834 4,299 6,374 6,592 9,156 
			 Birmingham 7,539 6,110 62,661 15,499 38,284 
			 Blackburn with Darwen n/a n/a 1,818 3,142 6,414 
			 Blackpool n/a n/a 2,805 4,331 7,301 
			 Bolton 2,096 3,383 5,066 8,898 12,049 
			 Bournemouth n/a 2,096 1,946 3,749 6,614 
			 Bracknell Forest n/a n/a 1,761 2,015 2,953 
			 Bradford 6,350 6,539 8,937 54,129 59,152 
			 Brent 224 889 3,082 6,860 17,355 
			 Brighton and Hove n/a 3,926 4,467 6,139 8,161 
			 Bristol, City of 3,475 1,214 5,830 6,996 14,447 
			 Bromley 1,657 1,399 2,786 3,729 8,971 
			 Buckinghamshire 12,013 5,493 9,318 13,072 21,116 
			 Bury 821 941 2,705 3,676 5,583 
			 Calderdale 1,382 1,257 3,150 3,226 8,239 
			 Cambridgeshire 8,988 9,146 11,955 12,294 23,939 
			 Camden 393 622 1,892 2,430 6,302 
			 Cheshire 10,386 8,372 9,784 15,337 27,912 
			 City of London 51 1 2 12 73 
			 Cornwall 7,306 8,107 10,910 11,621 81,513 
			 Coventry 4,362 6,964 10,250 4,445 9,741 
			 Croydon 2,425 2,697 5,560 6,993 11,526 
			 Cumbria 6,310 4,920 7,750 10,412 19,703 
			 Darlington n/a 669 857 2,168 4,039 
			 Derby n/a 2,930 4,448 4,690 8,340 
			 Derbyshire 5,239 4,037 12,965 13,855 27,405 
			 Devon 14,180 15,942 13,202 16,841 27,336 
			 Doncaster 6,449 1,458 2,253 5,097 10,657 
			 Dorset 5,138 18,873 8,405 7,256 13,247 
			 Dudley 2,972 1,206 36,108 6,764 11,100 
			 Durham 2,989 9,230 11,525 12,308 19,777 
			 Ealing 764 5,164 9,641 7,204 10,266 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 545 1,324 5,218 36,964 16,235 
			 East Sussex 20,125 16,452 15,093 30,258 18,149 
			 Enfield 7,392 8,806 23,180 8,121 8,866 
			 Essex 12,186 11,477 15,510 21,928 57,317 
			 Gateshead 4,988 2,540 6,188 6,716 10,985 
			 Gloucestershire 12,229 7,947 7,019 12,942 26,870 
			 Greenwich 1,692 4,393 5,455 4,549 7,294 
			 Hackney 1,024 2,369 3,650 4,553 7,075 
			 Halton n/a n/a 1,675 3,165 4,880 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,133 1,443 3,252 3,837 4,155 
			 Hampshire 19,691 14,651 22,054 19,190 43,116 
			 Haringey 2,733 4,729 7,361 68,752 9,036 
			 Harrow 3,555 1,738 2,275 3,882 6,084 
			 Hartlepool 137 613 1,141 2,065 3,578 
			 Havering 291 1,012 2,119 2,223 7,297 
			 Herefordshire 6,021 6,568 4,097 5,376 8,541 
			 Hertfordshire 7,092 12,039 14,850 15,183 36,733 
			 Hillingdon 3,924 2,828 23,114 5,472 10,939 
			 Hounslow 3,149 3,786 4,559 3,966 7,103 
			 Isle of Wight 3,108 2,944 3,844 4,640 7,792 
			 Isles of Scilly n/a 66 137 63 249 
			 Islington 295 868 2,472 2,760 7,577 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 626 470 1,277 1,021 2,733 
			 Kent 26,600 25,331 23,174 21,598 63,044 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 865 5,379 2,603 6,271 9,468 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,042 4,060 4,518 7,376 5,493 
			 Kirklees 2,780 3,573 4,899 6,808 74,020 
			 Knowsley 1,574 2,662 3,674 5,543 7,318 
			 Lambeth 806 1,662 4,590 23,624 7,688 
			 Lancashire 12,937 13,288 19,457 36,807 42,300 
			 Leeds 8,737 9,200 10,439 17,294 74,055 
			 Leicester n/a 951 4,941 10,800 11,015 
			 Leicestershire 3,565 2,920 6,503 9,232 20,957 
			 Lewisham 2,835 8,913 6,760 4,975 9,066 
			 Lincolnshire 8,081 6,981 6,310 9,702 26,968 
			 Liverpool 5,791 15,306 20,209 14,764 113,215 
			 Luton n/a 647 1,418 3,368 8,185 
			 Manchester 10,871 9,096 13,418 7,396 24,309 
			 Medway n/a n/a 5,301 5,588 12,128 
			 Merton 383 583 2,022 4,214 5,032 
			 Middlesbrough 1,696 2,589 2,406 2,171 4,656 
			 Milton Keynes n/a 10,745 6,570 10,460 10,584 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 1,024 3,014 8,766 9,229 7,889 
			 Newham 4,480 3,630 6,840 11,115 13,462 
			 Norfolk 4,786 4,907 10,815 12,089 28,303 
			 North East Lincolnshire 291 858 3,507 3,527 6,137 
			 North Lincolnshire 383 950 2,835 2,391 6,436 
			 North Somerset 2,644 4,296 5,111 3,268 7,879 
			 North Tyneside 1,389 2,521 3,012 10,924 20,420 
			 North Yorkshire 4,018 5,366 8,500 11,250 31,470 
			 Northamptonshire 7,524 8,453 15,394 12,308 26,802 
			 Northumberland 3,102 2,551 4,654 6,174 15,496 
			 Nottingham n/a n/a 3,050 4,236 8,992 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,898 8,196 10,105 16,391 45,404 
			 Oldham 2,030 4,624 7,474 6,913 9,076 
			 Oxfordshire 8,692 7,352 11,779 13,814 24,973 
			 Peterborough n/a n/a 2,256 2,399 10,597 
			 Plymouth n/a n/a 3,058 5,663 7,905 
			 Poole n/a 1,710 2,835 2,417 3,435 
			 Portsmouth n/a 3,136 16,223 3,487 5,764 
			 Reading n/a n/a 3,142 1,677 4,555 
			 Redbridge 9,921 9,374 5,206 5,001 11,710 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1,829 792 3,542 10,671 4,876 
			 Richmond upon Thames 259 628 2,994 4,435 4,211 
			 Rochdale 974 2,923 5,125 3,193 6,476 
			 Rotherham 2,552 2,893 6,632 6,844 12,328 
			 Rutland n/a 108 1,305 385 1,342 
			 Salford 7,007 5,495 5,644 5,515 12,886 
			 Sandwell 3,402 5,026 3,405 4,580 27,290 
			 Sefton 1,904 1,634 2,389 5,376 10,344 
			 Sheffield 4,983 7,506 14,783 69,342 17,151 
			 Shropshire 7,109 5,054 7,421 5,131 9,436 
			 Slough n/a n/a 822 2,090 3,565 
			 Solihull 3,052 3,612 6,003 5,588 9,213 
			 Somerset 3,568 3,845 8,765 9,188 18,148 
			 South Gloucestershire 2,614 5,139 8,655 8,667 12,943 
			 South Tyneside 1,560 1,499 2,474 3,391 5,681 
			 Southampton n/a 981 2,155 5,279 8,332 
			 Southend-on-Sea n/a n/a 2,577 1,356 7,032 
			 Southwark 598 2,500 2,286 7,556 8,083 
			 St. Helens 2,286 1,818 3,944 4,349 7,203 
			 Staffordshire 3,685 7,421 28,435 18,549 34,145 
			 Stockport 1,582 2,362 5,576 5,718 11,796 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 792 983 2,360 7,141 8,193 
			 Stoke-on-Trent  1,381 5,129 98,773 10,154 
			 Suffolk 7,926 7,126 10,154 12,401 27,386 
			 Sunderland 8,882 7,915 6,960 8,579 14,202 
			 Surrey 8,473 11,681 16,986 14,101 33,113 
			 Sutton 4,219 5,691 5,469 4,662 9,398 
			 Swindon n/a 1,450 3,049 5,208 6,056 
			 Tameside 3,233 3,279 5,963 4,657 30,652 
			 Telford and Wrekin n/a n/a 2,541 6,664 10,249 
			 Thurrock n/a n/a 2,099 3,395 6,464 
			 Torbay n/a n/a 2,600 18,223 5,410 
			 Tower Hamlets 11,214 7,963 5,859 110,270 7,442 
			 Trafford 3,809 5,006 4,406 4,627 9,232 
			 Wakefield 13,498 5,241 7,912 7,402 13,366 
			 Walsall 479 2,233 3,705 11,823 9,285 
			 Waltham Forest 2,496 1,838 2,823 23,199 8,116 
			 Wandsworth 1,227 861 1,929 3,607 8,001 
			 Warrington n/a n/a 3,673 4,687 8,711 
			 Warwickshire 24,118 3,025 6,414 7,339 17,511 
			 West Berkshire 6,137 3,836 1,671 5,689 8,640 
			 West Sussex 5,342 8,079 10,922 9,990 21,593 
			 Westminster 1,247 1,740 2,161 1,627 4,454 
			 Wigan 4,476 6,472 9,964 11,468 13,860 
			 Wiltshire 4,826 7,603 7,572 7,221 54,228 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead n/a n/a 2,304 2,264 4,119 
			 Wirral 3,268 2,410 5,291 7,186 69,014 
			 Wokingham n/a n/a 2,709 3,123 7,263 
			 Wolverhampton 2,675 1,332 2,473 5,182 8,585 
			 Worcestershire n/a n/a 9,658 12,554 26,799 
			 York 830 1,263 1,801 4,541 7,431 
		
	
	
		
			  000 
			  Local authority name  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Barking and Dagenham 6,624 40,960 5,852 7,395 10,129 
			 Barnet 7,460 16,647 13,484 22,715 31,613 
			 Barnsley 7,089 9,264 61,039 10,157 8,445 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 5,442 12,501 11,848 7,330 5,551 
			 Bedfordshire 38,402 18,638 18,359 20,621 16,250 
			 Bexley 10,675 64,379 34,784 22,954 12,544 
			 Birmingham 31,534 43,459 102,593 54,287 40,367 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 5,770 9,832 10,062 6,332 10,361 
			 Blackpool 8,833 7,382 17,032 14,992 11,606 
			 Bolton 13,213 16,112 15,167 11,403 9,322 
			 Bournemouth 5,105 4,096 5,066 5,801 5,151 
			 Bracknell Forest 2,149 3,234 8,648 4,203 4,313 
			 Bradford 56,156 54,861 20,819 36,146 34,134 
			 Brent 9,319 18,947 27,203 15,799 10,439 
			 Brighton and Hove 29,193 6,956 7,338 13,357 5,487 
			 Bristol, City of 17,811 16,602 80,824 29,639 23,539 
			 Bromley 8,118 8,800 12,490 18,774 18,480 
			 Buckinghamshire 14,017 20,627 27,460 26,443 21,055 
			 Bury 5,627 7,065 7,556 10,833 5,283 
			 Calderdale 60,010 8,759 9,555 15,093 7,437 
			 Cambridgeshire 22,241 27,974 38,682 33,212 24,598 
			 Camden 5,586 27,085 12,152 8,251 11,124 
			 Cheshire 34,224 24,973 34,224 30,488 26,421 
			 City of London 122 155 159 97 42 
			 Cornwall 19,029 28,239 99,602 33,273 18,768 
			 Coventry 10,498 35,412 13,574 15,234 13,453 
			 Croydon 7,616 30,936 14,684 14,095 16,589 
			 Cumbria 16,447 23,174 21,193 23,723 19,008 
			 Darlington 4,931 5,329 44,980 4,199 4,454 
			 Derby 11,021 9,921 53,692 12,763 9,404 
			 Derbyshire 50,596 37,530 74,516 41,778 32,577 
			 Devon 26,658 46,619 122,740 56,137 24,974 
			 Doncaster 9,846 13,210 13,914 67,261 28,841 
			 Dorset 11,596 21,935 22,855 16,276 18,933 
			 Dudley 33,425 12,371 13,415 15,703 12,933 
			 Durham 17,459 27,059 33,035 25,282 25,815 
			 Ealing 10,559 53,131 19,146 89,375 25,638 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 11,208 16,181 20,432 21,642 16,997 
			 East Sussex 16,146 23,932 24,402 23,721 17,703 
			 Enfield 8,623 21,976 69,375 19,995 14,855 
			 Essex 41,770 84,492 63,462 63,202 55,620 
			 Gateshead 8,939 8,609 22,804 6,957 65,954 
			 Gloucestershire 24,170 27,563 28,486 36,782 30,180 
			 Greenwich 12,352 11,069 9,224 17,691 17,944 
			 Hackney 9,302 11,023 25,929 24,523 13,204 
			 Halton 6,304 6,482 6,969 4,879 5,611 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4,155 5,188 4,987 10,900 4,972 
			 Hampshire 38,118 54,428 70,786 62,874 50,886 
			 Haringey 11,998 23,226 30,003 23,977 20,513 
			 Harrow 4,826 25,878 6,422 6,574 7,055 
			 Hartlepool 4,936 3,693 7,586 3,527 2,989 
			 Havering 7,314 9,984 11,506 11,327 8,299 
			 Herefordshire 5,922 8,412 27,643 8,354 8,712 
			 Hertfordshire 26,531 47,413 43,353 60,759 63,787 
			 Hillingdon 8,845 26,649 17,404 33,506 24,031 
			 Hounslow 5,259 8,041 36,193 9,515 8,210 
			 Isle of Wight 6,123 9,733 10,797 11,424 6,857 
			 Isles of Scilly 217 260 285 228 153 
			 Islington 4,727 10,125 9,417 12,291 10,262 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,308 2,794 2,918 4,024 4,413 
			 Kent 48,222 73,220 94,594 187,359 106,431 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 14,375 13,626 10,691 10,871 8,365 
			 Kingston upon Thames 4,436 6,825 10,942 14,951 5,292 
			 Kirklees 12,187 44,421 17,253 19,324 14,004 
			 Knowsley 8,583 10,496 7,495 6,688 8,225 
			 Lambeth 10,464 8,998 28,588 32,535 12,970 
			 Lancashire 36,021 55,453 62,607 44,234 38,067 
			 Leeds 22,651 32,795 28,515 64,702 146,104 
			 Leicester 11,168 9,267 12,329 18,883 27,568 
			 Leicestershire 15,831 25,401 27,582 33,834 35,673 
			 Lewisham 8,823 76,426 17,599 26,142 27,417 
			 Lincolnshire 39,013 26,928 28,157 33,779 29,350 
			 Liverpool 24,304 18,712 23,958 27,381 24,269 
			 Luton 5,471 7,496 11,734 10,056 6,448 
			 Manchester 25,350 24,531 60,294 37,852 16,572 
			 Medway 12,842 15,777 17,452 21,793 18,983 
			 Merton 12,574 71,923 7,293 5,836 5,446 
			 Middlesbrough 5,601 20,408 30,449 13,382 7,309 
			 Milton Keynes 9,899 20,267 29,083 39,116 30,831 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 56,101 9,944 16,280 70,386 8,868 
			 Newham 39,823 15,665 50,660 16,028 17,193 
			 Norfolk 25,472 130,152 39,292 108,282 34,492 
			 North East Lincolnshire 4,446 9,178 7,718 7,521 7,305 
			 North Lincolnshire 10,896 11,241 6,113 10,272 5,295 
			 North Somerset 6,087 6,973 17,971 27,122 17,954 
			 North Tyneside 23,364 46,690 11,528 7,134 5,839 
			 North Yorkshire 18,919 26,946 34,086 27,377 22,037 
			 Northamptonshire 22,935 56,177 132,072 53,550 32,585 
			 Northumberland 9,461 12,875 13,730 15,920 11,700 
			 Nottingham 15,478 15,840 15,526 29,628 13,570 
			 Nottinghamshire 29,005 33,779 157,700 31,112 26,170 
			 Oldham 9,152 18,227 14,042 71,191 14,087 
			 Oxfordshire 26,822 33,687 33,394 36,896 36,248 
			 Peterborough 9,236 7,700 14,065 72,420 24,360 
			 Plymouth 6,872 12,592 16,397 56,593 11,728 
			 Poole 6,377 6,522 6,161 4,952 4,202 
			 Portsmouth 4,705 5,635 10,871 7,028 9,043 
			 Reading 6,109 9,582 9,733 5,393 10,541 
			 Redbridge 28,730 10,376 13,084 16,768 20,789 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 6,000 5,639 59,355 5,903 4,910 
			 Richmond upon Thames 21,768 4,381 4,277 6,056 9,584 
			 Rochdale 8,216 9,160 12,033 69,346 7,485 
			 Rotherham 13,104 84,907 18,005 10,396 8,163 
			 Rutland 964 3,212 1,284 1,704 1,832 
			 Salford 30,931 19,386 10,210 57,345 17,763 
			 Sandwell 9,173 19,912 16,679 18,568 27,149 
			 Sefton 12,497 17,870 16,930 12,079 13,303 
			 Sheffield 22,561 21,703 58,357 83,165 27,051 
			 Shropshire 10,600 12,691 10,822 10,366 13,800 
			 Slough 3,474 6,879 7,618 52,885 6,429 
			 Solihull 8,174 15,196 9,846 11,643 27,823 
			 Somerset 17,621 20,049 19,249 21,831 18,240 
			 South Gloucestershire 10,984 15,926 14,853 19,134 11,040 
			 South Tyneside 4,850 9,152 6,596 21,922 5,150 
			 Southampton 48,889 10,182 12,006 6,823 10,728 
			 Southend-on-Sea 6,631 7,314 9,907 13,793 7,799 
			 Southwark 8,164 14,785 24,864 61,205 32,734 
			 St. Helens 6,419 11,439 7,152 6,772 5,783 
			 Staffordshire 27,479 32,905 35,529 41,071 29,198 
			 Stockport 10,790 12,224 11,709 10,731 11,526 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 14,582 8,695 11,858 11,786 7,705 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 11,866 13,283 11,333 14,891 6,973 
			 Suffolk 22,524 29,876 34,673 44,931 31,273 
			 Sunderland 31,029 17,175 13,436 11,049 9,287 
			 Surrey 28,529 39,836 48,336 45,928 47,164 
			 Sutton 7,501 9,289 11,286 8,702 8,125 
			 Swindon 4,289 15,164 80,240 11,594 9,182 
			 Tameside 9,643 8,891 9,008 11,616 11,327 
			 Telford and Wrekin 8,284 11,630 77,507 12,310 7,550 
			 Thurrock 5,899 6,176 11,007 13,289 8,904 
			 Torbay 6,429 10,147 9,470 10,959 8,994 
			 Tower Hamlets 9,033 12,911 8,912 8,586 7,942 
			 Trafford 9,031 13,366 14,773 13,569 8,389 
			 Wakefield 12,000 14,996 16,743 15,790 16,804 
			 Walsall 7,856 18,664 25,804 17,908 13,488 
			 Waltham Forest 9,613 66,949 10,364 10,380 11,647 
			 Wandsworth 7,826 13,665 11,741 10,467 11,065 
			 Warrington 9,009 10,116 8,821 8,006 9,805 
			 Warwickshire 14,143 23,787 34,454 25,499 19,169 
			 West Berkshire 4,186 6,572 7,647 7,957 6,546 
			 West Sussex 19,101 86,759 30,799 34,381 36,018 
			 Westminster 4,204 6,413 16,030 15,005 20,188 
			 Wigan 9,787 17,963 19,790 17,511 10,370 
			 Wiltshire 12,083 19,349 27,615 21,251 15,740 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 3,273 6,077 5,972 5,456 4,439 
			 Wirral 10,246 12,277 18,774 14,354 13,418 
			 Wokingham 8,403 8,219 9,042 12,002 5,185 
			 Wolverhampton 6,451 11,162 10,311 15,655 9,498 
			 Worcestershire 17,884 26,086 24,264 88,860 19,602 
			 York 4,767 25,595 9,651 9,429 8,739

School Meals

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost of food used in a school dinner was in the latest period for which a figure is available.

Parmjit Dhanda: The average ingredient cost for a two course school meal in 2005/06 was 52p in primary schools and 67.2p in secondary schools. These data are taken from the First Annual survey of take up of school meals in England carried out by the School Food Trust. The full survey can be viewed at www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk

Student Loans

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many people owe money to the Student Loans Company, broken down by  (a) those due to repay,  (b) those with deferred repayments and  (c) those not in repayment;
	(2)  how many existing accounts at the Student Loans Company have been found to be non-compliant in relation to loan repayments.

Bill Rammell: The mortgage-style student loan system started in 1990 and new borrowing in that scheme ceased in 1998. Deferment is the feature of that now-closed mortgage-style loans system that protects borrowers during periods in which their earnings are below the repayment threshold. Loans in the income-contingent repayment scheme that was introduced from 1998 are not deferred: deductions stop automatically if a borrower's income falls below the threshold.
	Similarly, arrears in the student loans system almost exclusively apply to the closed mortgage-style system. Arrears denote that a borrower is behind with payments that they are due to have made: this does not arise in repayment of income-contingent loans through the tax system. The number of borrowers in arrears on mortgage-style loans, on which new borrowing ceased in 1998, represents 10 percent. of the total number of people who have borrowed under that scheme. 20 percent. of those in arrears were making repayments, but had not cleared their arrears. Included among the total in arrears at any given time, there are a number of borrowers who will be on the way to deferment status, but who have not yet completed the application process for deferment.
	The table shows UK publicly-owned student loan borrowers in March 2006.
	
		
			   Income- contingent loans  Mortgage- style loans  Total( 1) 
			 Due to repay 1,130.6 591.6 1,696.1 
			 
			  Of which :
			 Deferring repayments n/a 233.8 233.8 
			 Deferring repayment with arrears n/a 11.5 11.5 
			 In arrears owing less than two months' repayments 0.2 63.7 63.9 
			 In arrears owing two months repayment or more 0.2 47.4 47.6 
			 Not yet due to repay 1,263.8 0.9 1,264.7 
			 Total Borrowers(2) 2,291.1 592.5 2,848.8 
			 (1)Numbers in the total column count each borrower once only, including those borrowers with both types of loan. Therefore the totals are not necessarily the sum of their component parts.  (2) Constituent parts may not sum to the totals because borrowers may be counted in more than one category if they have loans in more than one status.   Note:  Numbers are in thousands.   Source:  Student Loans Company

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with her US counterparts on the effectiveness of counter-narcotics strategies in Afghanistan; and what changes to the coalition strategy are envisaged;
	(2)  what assistance has been offered to the UK by the  (a) US State Department and  (b) US Department of Defense in discharging the UK's role as lead nation in counter-narcotics in Afghanistan.

Margaret Beckett: The UK is the Afghan government's partner nation on counter narcotics. We work closely and have a continuing dialogue with the US, and with the international community as a whole, on how we can best support Afghan efforts to combat the drugs trade. This year's substantial increase in planting in Afghanistan is very disappointing and reflects the difficult security situation and limited law enforcement capability in some provinces particularly in the south. But drug control strategies take time and both the UK and the US agree that the Afghan government's National Drug Control Strategy is the right approach to bring about a sustained reduction in the production and trafficking of opium. Last year the US spent US$788 million in support of Afghanistan's counter narcotics effort. This assistance is not channelled through the UK. US programmes are primarily directed at law enforcement and justice reform, alternative livelihoods, elimination/eradication, interdiction and public information.

Afghanistan

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the extent to which the opium produced in Afghanistan could be used in the production of medicines.

Kim Howells: The UK supports and agrees with the Afghan Government's position that licensing opium cultivation for medical use is not a realistic solution to the problems of the opium economy in Afghanistan. There are currently no central government and law enforcement mechanisms in place in Afghanistan to set up and administer a system of licit cultivation and traffickers would therefore be free to continue to exploit the illicit market. Legitimising opium cultivation would also send out a mixed message to farmers, undermining the effectiveness of the Government of Afghanistan's message that drugs are illegal and 'haram' or forbidden under Afghan culture. Licit cultivation of Afghan opium is also unlikely to be viable on an economic basis. According to the International Narcotics Control Board, there is currently a global oversupply in the availability of medicinal opiates.

Afghanistan

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of Afghanistan's drug industry since the fall of the Taliban.

Kim Howells: In July 2000, the Taliban imposed a ban on opium poppy cultivation. By July 2001, the tactics they employed had led to a 91 per cent. reduction. This ban was enforced with a combination of fear and bribery, however, and drove up the price of opium so that those with opium stockpiles profited, many of whom colluded with the Taliban Government. Following the fall of the Taliban, President Karzai, with support from the international community, is working hard to extend the central Government's authority across Afghanistan and to rebuild the country's war-damaged infrastructure. He has also made it clear that eliminating opium is vital for Afghanistan's future and key to its stability.
	However, sustainable drug control strategies take time to deliver, especially when the challenges are as severe as they are in Afghanistan. Although this year's 59 per cent. increase (165,000 ha) in opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is disappointing, it reflects the difficult security situation and limited law enforcement capability in the south. Elsewhere, in areas where access to governance, security and development has improved, reductions in cultivation achieved last year have been sustained. This is encouraging and shows that the Afghan National Drug Control strategy is the right approach. Progress has also been made in other areas including the passage of vital Counter Narcotics legislation, the conviction of over 200 traffickers and an increase in drugs related seizures.

British Council

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the British Council's grant in aid has been in each year since 1997.

Geoff Hoon: The British Council's grant in aid each year since 1997 is laid out in the following table:
	
		
			
			 1997-98 126,060,000 
			 1998-99 126,911,000 
			 1999-2000 133,285,000 
			 2000-01 137,720,000 
			 2001-02 144,985,000 
			 2002-03 151,455,000 
			 2003-04 165,474,000 
			 2004-05 172,065,000 
			 2005-06 189,210,000

British Indian Ocean Territory

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the agreement covering the United States use of facilities at Diego Garcia allows the US to hold and interrogate non-US and non-UK nationals without notification to the UK Government.

Kim Howells: Under the 1966 Exchange of Notes between the US and UK, non-US and non-UK nationals who are not serving members of the US military cannot be detained without notification to the Government.
	Moreover, there is no US facility for foreign detainees on Diego Garcia. The only civilian detention centre is at the small UK-run police station.
	The US authorities have repeatedly given us assurances that no detainees, prisoners of war or any other persons in this category are being held on Diego Garcia, or have at any time passed in transit through Diego Garcia or its territorial waters or airspace. This was most recently confirmed during the 2006 US/UK Political Military Talks held in London on 17 and 18 October.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have received any reports of the detention and interrogation of  (a) non-US and  (b) non-UK citizens in British Indian Ocean Territories by agencies of the United States since 11 September 2001.

Kim Howells: The US authorities have repeatedly given us assurances that no detainees, prisoners of war or any other persons in this category are being held on Diego Garcia, or have at any time passed in transit through Diego Garcia or its territorial waters or airspace. This was most recently confirmed during the 2006 US/UK Political Military Talks held in London on 17 and 18 October.
	Moreover, there is no US facility for foreign detainees on Diego Garcia. The only civilian detention centre is at the small UK-run police station.

Council of Ministers

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the A-list items from the last of each Department's EU Council of Ministers meetings.

Geoff Hoon: As the information requested is lengthy, I will arrange for officials to place the information in the Library of the House.

Departmental Redundancies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many redundancies there were in her Department in each year since 1997; what the cost of such redundancies was in each year; how many temporary staff were employed in each year; and how many staff were seconded by outside organisations to posts within the Department in each year.

Geoff Hoon: The rules governing redundancies are set out by the Cabinet Office and includes schemes for Compulsory Early Retirement (CER) for officers over 50 and Compulsory Early Severance (CES) for those under 50.
	The annual number of junior/middle management officers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) who have taken redundancy through the CER or CES schemes for the years 1997 to 2006 are shown in the table and include efficiency restructuring in FCO Services. Costs shown for the years 1997 to 2001 are the total for all early retirements in each of those years. We could not break these figures down further without incurring disproportionate costs. The costs from 2002 to 2006 cover redundancy packages only.
	
		
			   Numbers  Costs () 
			 1997 23 2,824,767 
			 1998 1 3,314,768 
			 1999 5 3,801,817 
			 2000 7 1,871,688 
			 2001 3 2,825,390 
			 2002 2 198,498 
			 2003 1 173,353 
			 2004 2 68,739 
			 2005 10 1,270,758

Iran

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether representations have been made to the Iranian ambassador to London on links between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The United Kingdom continues to be deeply concerned by Iran's links with Hezbollah and takes every opportunity to raise this issue with the Iranian Government, most recently on 3 October when the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met the Iranian ambassador to London.

Iraq

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence is available on the mortality rate in Iraq  (a) prior to the invasion in March 2003 and  (b) in the period from March 2003 to June 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Mortality estimation is extremely challenging in all developing countries. According to the World Health Organisation, only three out of 21 countries in what they term the Eastern Mediterranean region have complete vital registration, and Iraq has no such recent data available.
	The UN Population Division estimated that the crude death rate for Iraq was around 10 per 1,000 population in the second half of the 1990s. The UN Development Programme (www.undp.org) and World Health Organisation (www.who.int) also provide data on crude death rates. There is very little data available on child mortality, though UNICEF (www.unicef.org) has compiled data on under-five mortality in Iraq in the 1990's. Since 2003 there has been no comprehensive record of mortality rates in Iraq, though there are a number of estimations of the number of deaths caused by violence, eg Iraqi Ministry of Health, the Iraq Body Count, and surveys published by The Lancet Medical Journal. The Government of Iraq are currently making preparations to undertake a national population census, which would provide data on mortality, fertility, and migration.

Iraq

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Iraq on Assyrian Christian refugees from Iraq; and what measures could be taken to persuade them to return.

Kim Howells: Our embassy in Baghdad regularly lobbies the Iraqi Government on the importance of supporting minority religious groups in Iraq.
	The Government's Voluntary Assisted Returns and Re-integration Programme offers a package of assistance to those Iraqis who wish to return home. 2,600 have so far taken advantage of this scheme.

Iraq

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Iraq about the persecution of Assyrian Christians in Iraq.

Kim Howells: We continue to raise the protection of minority groups with the Government of Iraq and with other Iraqi political and religious leaders, including Assyrians, and members of civil society organisations. During her visit to Iraq, in September, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary highlighted the importance of Prime Minister Maliki's Government serving the rights of all communities across Iraq and addressing key issues of concern to particular communities which is an essential part of addressing the current levels of violence.
	The Iraqi Constitution contains provisions which guarantee democratic principles, rights and freedoms of all individuals, including the freedom of worship. We continue to encourage the Iraqi Government to ensure these are protected.

Iraq

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the Government of Iraq on giving financial assistance to the Assyrian Christian communities within Iraq.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed with the Iraqi Government giving financial assistance to any specific religious groups in Iraq.

Iraq

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has commissioned into the findings of the recent report in The Lancet on deaths in Iraq; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, to the noble Lord, Lord Lamont of Lerwick, in another place  Official Report, columns 870-71.

Judicial Co-operation

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1245W, on judicial co-operation, what the Government's position was on the use of the passerelle clause at the Justice and Home Affairs Informal Council at Tampere; what the Government's policy is on the use of the passerelle clause in this area; and if she will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: The Government welcome efforts to take forward EU co-operation in Justice and Home Affairs (JHA), in line with the Hampton Court delivery agenda.
	The Government's position at Tampere was that it welcomed the debate and that it was only right to examine whether there are ways to improve the way we make decisions in JHA.
	However, the Government stated furthermore that we would need to be fully satisfied that any changes to the existing arrangements would genuinely improve the decision-making process, and that such a move would need to be in the UK's national interest. It is, as yet, unclear whether the Finnish Presidency will bring forward further work in this area during their Presidency, but the Government consider the current debate to be over. We will, however, keep the House informed of any developments.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Israeli government about the targeting of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon during the recent conflict.

Kim Howells: During the hostilities the UK and EU repeatedly urged the Israelis to act in proportionate and measured ways, so as to minimise civilian death and suffering. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised this personally with the Israeli Prime Minister on 18 July shortly after the conflict began and I raised it with my counterpart on 4 August, expressing my concern that the targeting of bridges and roads was hindering humanitarian efforts. Together with the EU, the Government have consistently urged all parties to do everything possible to protect civilian populations and to refrain from actions in violation of international humanitarian law. Following the incident in Qana in which dozens of civilians were killed, including children, the UK also signed up to UN Security Council Presidential Statement expressing concern at the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations  (a) she and  (b) other Ministers in her Department have received from human rights agencies about Israeli actions in Lebanon in July and August.

Kim Howells: Neither I nor my colleagues have had any direct representations from human rights agencies to discuss Israeli actions in Lebanon in July and August. Nevertheless, officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office held a meeting with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during the conflict during which the humanitarian and human rights situation in Lebanon were discussed. Officials also met with human rights NGOs during the Special Session of the Human Rights Council in August 2006. The Government and the EU have consistently urged all parties to do everything possible to protect civilian populations and to refrain from actions in violation of international humanitarian law. Since UN Security Council Resolution 1701 brought about a ceasefire on 14 August, there has been a significant improvement in the humanitarian situation on the ground. The UK is providing 22.3 million to Lebanon for humanitarian and reconstruction purposes and 1.2 million on efforts to clear up unexploded ordnance.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to UK and UN agencies of the mission to clear-up the sub-munitions fired into Lebanon from Israeli cluster rockets during the last three days of the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.

Kim Howells: The UK has provided 205,000 to the Mines Advisory Group for clearance of unexploded ordnance from the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and made a commitment to provide a sum of 1 million to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) for similar tasking. The UNMASthe lead agency dealing with unexploded ordnancehas indicated that it needs $4,200,000 to deal with unexploded ordnance. These figures relate to the conflict as a whole: we are unable to identify costs relating only to the last three days of the conflict.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of munitions used by Hezbollah on Israeli population centres and military installations  (a) the year before 12 July,  (b) during the recent conflict and  (c) since the ceasefire.

Kim Howells: In the year preceding the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel that began on 12 July there were four separate instances of rocket and mortar attacks on Israel by Hezbollah. These caused one fatality and 16 injuries on the Israeli side. The Israeli police reported that 3,970 rockets landed on Israel during the hostilities, killing 39 civilians and injuring approximately 2,000 more. Since the ceasefire came into effect on 14 August there have been no further rocket strikes by Hezbollah into Israel.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the circumstances surrounding the killing of four UN observers by Israeli shellfire in southern Lebanon on 26 July; and what representations she has made to the Israeli authorities about this case.

Kim Howells: On 25 July, four UN observers were killed in an Israeli Air Force strike on a UN base in Khiyam in southern Lebanon. On 27 July the UK signed up to a UN Presidency Statement expressing the Council's shock and distress at the event. The full text of the Presidency statement can be found on the UN website at: http://www.un.org//News/Press/docs/2006/sc8791.doc.htm. The statement called on the Government of Israel to conduct an inquiry into the incident. Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv also raised it directly with the Israeli Prime Minister's office. Prime Minister Olmert expressed his deep regret over the incident and promised a comprehensive inquiry would be held. The Israeli Foreign Minister also expressed her condolences for the loss of life and said the attack was not deliberate. We understand that the Israelis have shared the findings of the inquiry with the UN and the countries whose nationals died in the incident.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the  (a) conduct of Israeli armed forces in Lebanon between 12 July and 14 August and  (b) extent to which the use of cluster bombs in Lebanon between 9 and 14 August complied with international law.

Kim Howells: The UK has always recognised Israel's legitimate right to self-defence. At the same time we made clear during the conflict our deep concern at the deaths of civilians and at the destruction of civilian infrastructure and consistently urged Israel to exercise utmost restraint and act in compliance with international humanitarian law.
	The UK has not conducted an investigation into Israel's conduct in Lebanon between 12 July and 14 August. We note that various human rights non-governmental organisations and the visit report of the four UN special procedure mandate holders have accused both Israel and Hezbollah of serious violations of international humanitarian law. We believe that any credible allegations of improper conduct should be properly investigated and appropriate action taken by the Governments of Israel and Lebanon. We have held discussions about unexploded ordnance with both the Government of Lebanon and the Government of Israel. We have called on the Government of Israel to make a public statement about its use of cluster munitions in the recent conflict with Lebanon and would expect them to investigate any well-founded allegations of misuse of munitions by its armed forces, just as the UK would do.

Middle East

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will discuss with the Israeli authorities the chain of command involved in the decision to use cluster bombs in Lebanon between 10 and 14 August.

Kim Howells: We have asked the Israeli authorities to make a statement about their use of cluster bombs. The UK regards cluster munitions as a legitimate weapon when used in accordance with international humanitarian law. We would expect the Government of Israel to investigate any credible allegations of improper use of such munitions. We do not intend to raise with the Israeli authorities the chain of command in the decision to use cluster bombs.

Middle East

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the number of Hezbollah rocket strikes from Lebanon on  (a) Northern Israel and  (b) Sheba'a Farms in each month between June 2005 and June 2006.

Kim Howells: Hezbollah fired rockets into Northern Israel in June 2005, November 2005, December 2005 and May 2006. The rocket attack in November 2005 struck a range of targets in northern Israel and some of the rockets landed in the Sheba'a Farms area. We have no exact information on the numbers of rockets fired on these occasions but there were multiple attacks in each case.

Ministerial Visits

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to visit the Philippines in 2007.

Kim Howells: At present there are no plans for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to visit the Philippines in 2007.

Nobel Peace Prize

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK has taken to honour those individuals who have won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Margaret Beckett: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for the Diplomatic Service and Overseas honours list, which is published to coincide with Her Majesty the Queen's New Year and Birthday honours lists. UK honours are not automatically awarded to winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. Nominations are considered on their merits. The service to the UK should be of an outstanding or exceptional nature.

Syria

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she last met the Syrian Foreign Minister; and when a Minister from her Department last met a Syrian counterpart.

Kim Howells: I have never met the Foreign Minister of Syria. The last official Ministerial contact with Syria was when my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean visited in 2003 and called on the President and Foreign Minister.

Tanzania

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Tanzanian media empire controlled by Reginald Mengi on the prospects for democracy, good governance and debt relief in Tanzania.

Kim Howells: Reginald Mengi's IPP Media Group owns a number of important media outlets in Tanzania. It is independent of government. There are many other media outlets in Tanzania not owned by the Group. These outlets, and the Group's media activities, are part of an increasingly diverse and vigorous media sector in Tanzania. The independent media sector has a positive impact on the development of democracy and good governance in Tanzania. We are not aware that it has any impact on debt relief.
	The Government believe the prospects for democracy, good governance and debt relief in Tanzania are good. President Kikwete has made clear he is committed to addressing poverty and promoting good governance and the UK will continue to support policies in this direction.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department is making on reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID has spent over 390 million on reconstruction and development in Afghanistan. The UK is Afghanistan's second largest donor. DFID's budget for Afghanistan is 102 million for this year, rising to 113 million in 2007-08; and 115 million in 2008-09.
	Afghanistan remains one of the UK's top priorities and we have provided valuable support to the Government who have made great progress over the last five years: presidential and parliamentary elections were held. Six million children have returned to school, over a third of them girls. 13,000 girls' and boys' primary and secondary schools have been built and 15 teacher training centres have been established. 35,000 lives have been saved by routine immunisations. In 2005-06 the legal economy is estimated to have grown by 14 per cent. 3.5 million refugees have returned home. Major road rehabilitation is connecting major urban centres and Afghanistan with its neighbours. Reliable electricity supply is being restored. The telecommunications sector is growing fast, connecting businesses and people in Afghanistan,
	Over 70 per cent. of our aid goes directly to the Government of Afghanistan and UK is the largest donor to the Government's recurrent budgetcovering annual costs such as salaries for teachers and health workers. This is exactly what the Afghan Government wantand is the best chance for building effective state institutions that will last.
	DFlD's programme in Afghanistan is trying to encourage sustainable growth and poverty reduction. Building state institutions, improving economic management and providing legal economic alternatives to those involved in poppy cultivation are all critical to that objective. DFID provides significant funding to support the National Priority Programmes of the Afghan Government, such as the National Solidarity Programme (NSP) and the Micro-finance Investment Support Facility of Afghanistan (MISFA), which bring direct benefits to poor people. The NSP is active in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan and is responding to priority needs identified by some of the most remote and poorest communities. MISFA is currently working in 18 provinces and plans to be active in all 34 by end of 2007.
	The reconstruction effort in Afghanistan is a long-term initiative. Achieving our objective of a peaceful, prosperous and secure Afghanistan, will be reliant upon the support and commitment of UK and other partners for many years to come

Departmental Travel

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent by his Department on  (a) chartering aircraft and  (b) non-scheduled air travel, in each of the last five years.

Hilary Benn: This information is not immediately available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more during each financial year. Where non-scheduled aircraft are used this is shown in the list. Information for 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006 with copies of the lists available in the Library of the House.
	All Departmental travel is undertaken in accordance with appropriate rules set out for Ministers and staff.

Ethiopia

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what conditions relating to good governance his Department places on the distribution of development aid to Ethiopia.

Hilary Benn: DFID's programme in Ethiopia is subject to our conditionality policy, published in March 2005 This policy is applied in accordance with a commitment to three important development objectives: reducing poverty and meeting the millennium development goals; respecting human rights and other international obligations; and strengthening financial management and accountability, which reduces the risk of funds being misused through weak administration or corruption.
	Concerns about human rights and governance in Ethiopia, during the unrest which followed the elections last year, led the UK and other donors to stop providing the Government of Ethiopia with assistance in the form of direct budget support. In order to ensure that the poor do not suffer as a result of this decision we developed the protection of basic services grant which is accompanied by stringent measures to ensure transparency and accountability. The grant aims to protect the delivery of basic services, such as education, health, agriculture and water and sanitation, by local government in Ethiopia.
	We made a commitment in our White Paper, published in July this year, to conduct quality of governance assessments in partner countries, and we intend to do so in Ethiopia. We have a number of programmes in Ethiopia designed to promote better governance, and the assessment will help us to identify how these programmes might be strengthened.

HIV/AIDS

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will commit funding to  (a) tracking and  (b) assessing grants made by his Department for the provision of HIV/AIDS services via sexual and reproductive health clinics in developing countries; and if he will encourage other aid donors to do the same.

Hilary Benn: Every DFID project or programme, including poverty reduction budget support, with an approved commitment of 1 million or over is reviewed annually to ensure that it is meeting its aims. In addition a project completion report is prepared during the last three months of the project or when actual expenditure reaches the 95 per cent. threshold.
	If a DFID funded programme was designed to integrate HIV and AIDS services into sexual and reproductive health clinics it would be 'tracked' with both AIDS and reproductive health markers through DFlD's Policy Information Marker System (PIMS). DFID has begun to review the elements of sexual and reproductive health, including HIV prevention, that are included in current/recent programmes that have a reproductive health PIMS marker.
	DFID encourages all donors to respect the international agreement reached around three core principles to improve co-ordination of the national response to AIDS. This is known as the 'Three Ones': one agreed HIV/AIDS action framework, one national AIDS co-ordinating authority and one agreed country-level evaluation system. The 'Three Ones' helps donors, multilaterals, the private sector and civil society to work together with national government in a more effective and harmonised way.

Muslim Council of Britain

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much  (a) financial support and  (b) support in kind his Department and its agencies have given to the Muslim Council of Britain in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: To date no financial support has been given to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB)
	MCB were successful in securing the commitment of funding for a development awareness project among the Muslim community through the 2005-06 Development Awareness Fund which is a competitive funding scheme. The programme has not yet begun and DFID has not given any funding for activity yet.
	DFID has had dealings with the MCB on occasions, including co-chairing a seminar for Islamic NGOs in 2005, and in 2001 publishing its fourth Target 2015 booklet, in association with the Muslim Council of Britain, Muslim Aid and Islamic Relief. These activities did not involve direct funding of MCB.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Knowledge Network

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the budget is for the modernised version of the Knowledge Network.

Patrick McFadden: The new Knowledge Network provides services to 20 customers, including government lawyers (Legal Information ONline) and statisticians (Statnet). The service has been modernised and is now delivered by an outsourced service provider.
	Each customer is responsible for buying the particular Knowledge Network services that they require. Specific information regarding their budgets is not held centrally.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 12 June 2006,  Official Report, column 961W, on the Parliamentary Ombudsman, to which three recommendations made by the Parliamentary Ombudsman the Cabinet Office declined to give full effect.

Hilary Armstrong: The three recommendations relate to Code of Practice on Access to Government Information cases reference A7/03, A16/03 and A34/05.
	Information on cases A7/03 and A16/03 is set out in the ombudsman's report Access to Official Information: Investigations Completed: November 2002-June 2003 (HC 951, July 2003), and can also be accessed through the ombudsman's website at http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/improving_services/selected_cases/AOI/aoi0306/index.html.
	Information on case A34/05, together with further information on case A16/03, is set out in the ombudsman's report Access to Official Information: Investigations Completed July 2004-March 2005, Volume 2 (HC 63-11, May 2005), and can also be accessed through the ombudsman's website at http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/improving_services/selected_cases/AOI/aoi0503-2/index.html.
	Copies of both these reports are available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Staff Salaries

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when she expects to answer question 95495, on staff salaries, tabled by the hon. Member for Wimbledon on 17 October 2006 for named day answer on 20 October 2006.

Patrick McFadden: I replied to the hon. Member on 23 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1622W.

Tablighi Jammaat

Paul Goodman: To ask the Minister without Portfolio whether  (a) she and  (b) others in her office have met representatives of Tablighi Jammaat during the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Tablighi Jammaat

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether  (a) Ministers and  (b) others in her Department have met representatives of Tablighi Jammaat during the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Hilary Armstrong: I am not aware of any Cabinet Office Ministers during the last three years meeting representatives of the Tablighi Jammaat.
	Officials meet many individuals and outside interest groups as part of the process of the development of Government policy and advice. There is no central record of meetings between these groups and officials. Therefore, the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Staff

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what staff posts have been created in his Department since the recent machinery of Government changes;
	(2)  how many full-time equivalent staff  (a) work in his Private Office,  (b) work in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Secretariat and  (c) provide support to the Deputy Prime Minister from within the Cabinet Office;
	(3)  how many staff in his Department work in  (a) 26 Whitehall,  (b) the Department for Communities and Local Government buildings and  (c) other government buildings.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 72W.

Departmental Staff

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many full-time equivalent press officers  (a) work and  (b) provide assistance for his Department.

John Prescott: One.

Ministerial Visits

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the budget is for his impending visit to the Far East; how many civil servants will be accompanying him; and what the itinerary is for the visit.

Nick Harvey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what overseas visits he has made on official business in each of the last 12 months; if he will place in the Library copies of reports made following those visits; and what the cost was of the visits;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of a report of his recent visit to Japan; and what plans he has for overseas visits in each of the next 12 months.

John Prescott: Details of the cost of overseas travel undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing 500 or more is published annually. Information for 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006. Copies of the lists are available in the Library for the reference of Members.
	All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the 'Ministerial Code' and 'Travel by Ministers', copies of which are available in the Library for the reference of Members. All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the 'Civil Service Management Code', a copy of which is also available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Television Licences

Oliver Heald: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the television licence fee in his official ministerial residence is paid for from public funds.

John Prescott: It is not.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital blue light accident and emergency departments she plans to downgrade to urgent care centre status in each year to 2010.

Rosie Winterton: Changes in the services provided by hospital departments are matters for local decision. The guiding principle of reconfiguration is to improve the clinical quality, safety and sustainability of patient services.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people who registered at the accident and emergency department at Wycombe Hospital  (a) in each year from 2001 until the implementation of the Shaping Health Services proposal on that department and  (b) since the implementation of the Shaping Health Services proposal were (i) treated at Wycombe Hospital and (ii) transferred for treatment to (A) Stoke Mandeville, (B) Wrexham Park and (C) other hospitals;
	(2)  how many people in Buckinghamshire were taken by ambulance from locations in the county other than hospital accident and emergency departments to  (a) Wycombe Hospital,  (b) Stoke Mandeville Hospital,  (c) Wrexham Park Hospital and  (d) other hospitals in each year since 2001.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The information requested is not held centrally.

Ambulances

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance admissions there were to  (a) Worthing hospital and  (b) the Royal Sussex county hospital Accident and Emergency Department in the last period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Cancelled Operations

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled because of  (a) managerial or administrative reasons and  (b) unclean or missing surgery equipment in the (i) Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authority area and (ii) Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust area; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 23 October 2006
	The Department collects data on the number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non-clinical reasons. The following table shows the latest data available for the period April to June 2006, as published on 25 August 2006, for the number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non-clinical reasons for acute trusts in the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire area.
	
		
			  Name  Number of last minute cancellations for non-clinical reasons in the quarter  Number of patients not treated within 28 days of last minute cancellation 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority 583 35 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust 116 0 
			 Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust 39 0 
			 Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 83 10 
			 James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust 48 0 
			 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust 80 7 
			 Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 27 4 
			 Peterborough and Stamford NHS Foundation Trust 81 0 
			 The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Trust 70 14 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 39 0 
			  Source: Department of Health dataset QMCO

Cancer Consultants

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer consultants were employed in the NHS in each of the last 20 years.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of cancer consultants employed in the national health service between 1987 and 2005 is shown in the table.
	Information prior to 1987 was not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): All consultants within the six main cancer specialties by specialty and year 
			  Number (headcount) 
			of which: 
			  England at  30 September each year  All six main cancer Specialties  Clinical oncology  Clinical radiology  Haematology  Histopathology  Medical oncology  Palliative medicine 
			 1987 2,300 210 1,034 406 616 34 (1) 
			 1988 2,347 217 1,073 400 625 32 (1) 
			 1989 2,462 215 1,130 418 651 34 14 
			 1990 2,461 207 1,138 410 654 36 15 
			 1991 2,525 219 1,185 402 657 46 17 
			 1992 2,578 220 1,204 422 662 47 23 
			 1993 2,629 226 1,229 424 663 59 28 
			 1994 2,713 248 1,265 412 664 81 43 
			 1995 2,877 252 1,349 444 693 89 50 
			 1996 3,001 265 1,389 457 747 86 57 
			 1997 3,155 287 1,442 488 769 89 80 
			 1998 3,273 299 1,481 478 828 102 85 
			 1999 3,362 305 1,507 510 836 110 94 
			 2000 3,528 307 1,585 527 865 133 111 
			 2001 3,721 333 1,645 556 915 147 125 
			 2002 3,913 315 1,702 588 968 185 155 
			 2003 4,169 347 1,810 609 1,021 202 180 
			 2004 4,381 392 1,876 637 1,083 201 192 
			 2005 4,593 438 2,014 648 1,094 215 184 
			 (1 )denotes zero  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census

Community Hospitals

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has made any assessment of the number of community hospital beds likely to be needed in the Wantage constituency over the next 10 years.

Andy Burnham: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs) and practice based commissioners to assess their needs for community hospitals and services. The Department has therefore made no assessment of the need for community hospitals and community services across England.
	The Department is committed to allocating 750 million to PCTs for new community hospitals and services over the next five years. Any PCT can bid for this funding if it has the support of its strategic health authority.

Community Hospitals

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospital beds there were in Oxfordshire primary care trusts in each year since 1997.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not held centrally.

Contingency Fund

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the contingency fund described on page 2 of her Department's report on NHS financial performance in quarter 1 2006-07 was created.

Andy Burnham: The contingency has not been created from new funding provided by the Department of Health. As part of their management of the 5.5 billion central budget bundle distributed to them for the NHS, the 10 strategic health authorities (SHAs) have established a level of contingency which currently stands at 350 million. This contingency is a prudent approach by SHAs to manage financial risk in the NHS while ensuring that services to patients are delivered.

Critical Care Hospital

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was to public funds of defending the application for judicial review of her decision to overrule the recommendation of the Better Healthcare Closer to Home review on the site of the new critical care hospital in the South West London and North East Surrey area.

Andy Burnham: It is not possible to answer the question asked without incurring disproportionate cost.

Dentistry

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in  (a) England and  (b) Shropshire primary care trust area have removed NHS patients from their lists following the introduction of new dental contracts.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.
	Under the new system, dentists contract with their local primary care trust (PCT) to provide an agreed annual amount of national health service dental services over the course of each year. Information on the number of patients who have accessed NHS dental services within a given period will be available from later this year, but registration levels at each individual practice no longer form part of the system of remuneration.

Dentistry

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for NHS dental patients referred for orthodontic treatment in  (a) England and  (b) Shropshire primary care trust area.

Rosie Winterton: Information is not collected centrally on waiting times for orthodontic treatment in primary care. Where patients are referred for hospital orthodontic treatment, information is collected on waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant andin the relatively few cases where a patient is treated on an in-patient basiswaiting times for admission. The most recent waiting times statistics can be found at www.performance.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes/index.htm

DHL Contract

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the proposed supply contract with DHL includes a requirement for sustainable procurement; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Arrangements are in place to ensure that sustainable procurement issues are addressed in the delivery of the contract. Under the terms of the contract DHL, in meeting its general service obligations, must:
	comply with good industry practice and all statutory requirements; and
	contract with suppliers on the NHS business services authority's behalf in a manner that complies with all statutory requirements relating to procurement.
	Further, DHL will only supply in accordance with the requirements of its customers, and therefore DHL is incentivised to provide products that comply with those policies to which the national health service is required to adhere. The effective date of the contract was 1 October 2006

Efficiency Review

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has delivered the 2,500 million efficiency review savings expected by 2005-06; and if she will break down by workstream the savings which have been made.

Andy Burnham: By the end of March 2006 the Department had delivered 2,799 million of efficiency savings, around 300 million more than the expected figure at this time. The breakdown of efficiency gain is as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 Procurement l,297 
			 Productive Time l,210 
			 Social Care 179 
			 Corporate Services 38 
			 Public Funding and Regulation 75 
			 Total 2,799

Engagements

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hastings and Rye (Michael Jabez Foster) of 11 October 2006,  Official Report, column 291, on engagements, what the reasons are for the differences between the Prime Minister's answer and the figures for the number of patients waiting over 26 weeks at the end of August 2006 given in the Department of Health statistical press notice of 29 September 2006.

Andy Burnham: The six-month operational standard came into effect across the national health service from 1 January 2006. No patient should have to be waiting longer than this for in-patient treatment from the decision-to-treat date.
	Latest data for the end of August 2006 show that 115 patients, less than 0.02 per cent. of a total waiting list of 769,461, were waiting over six months. This compares with 1997 when almost 300,000 people were waiting more than 15 months for their operations.

Health Sector Training

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many training places for  (a) nurses,  (b) midwives and  (c) radiographers there were in 2005-06.

Rosie Winterton: There were 23,230 nurse, 2,220 midwifery and 1,555 radiography training places available in 2005-06.

Hospital Beds

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) total number of beds and  (b) number of beds per 100,000 population has been in each strategic health authority area in each year since 2002-03.

Andy Burnham: The following table sets out the total number of beds and number of beds per 100,000 population by SHA since 2002-03.
	
		
			2005-06  2004-05 
			  Code  SHA  Total number of available beds  Beds per 100,000 population  Total number of available beds  Beds per 100,000 population 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 7,734 341.5 8,276 369.8 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 4,241 260.0 4,280 264.6 
			 Q03 Essex 4,877 296.3 4,828 295.2 
			 Q04 North West London 6,566 350.9 6,719 366.3 
			 Q05 North Central London 5,680 456.8 5,768 469.7 
			 Q06 North East London 5,715 370.5 5,960 389.2 
			 Q07 South East London 5,583 366.2 5,807 383.5 
			 Q08 South West London 4,572 342.3 4,760 360.3 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 6,766 481.1 6,854 490.8 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 4,618 401.0 4,719 410.9 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 5,139 309.6 5,202 314.8 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire 7,356 347.2 7,784 369.2 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 6,954 358.8 7,082 367.0 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester 10,162 398.9 10,404 409.8 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 9,430 399.5 9,788 415.0 
			 Q16 Thames Valley 5,828 272.4 5,995 282.7 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 5,377 296.9 5,852 324.9 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 4,524 279.1 4,742 294.5 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex 8,027 309.6 8,312 322.5 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 8,023 361.2 8,033 364.1 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula 5,812 356.7 6,010 371.2 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset 4,559 374.5 4,678 385.7 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire 5,808 451.7 5,922 463.2 
			 Q24 Trent 8,713 322.5 9,120 339.3 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 5,027 313.2 5,200 326.6 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 4,671 310.2 4,892 326.2 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 9,084 397.2 9,135 401.6 
			 Q28 West Midlands South 4,800 305.2 4,800 307.8 
		
	
	
		
			2003-04  2002-03 
			  Code  SHA  Total number of available beds  Beds per 100,000 population  Total number of available beds  Beds per 100,000 population 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 8,503 383.2 8,436 384.8 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 4,232 262.1 4,417 274.8 
			 Q03 Essex 4,755 291.8 5,064 312.0 
			 Q04 North West London 6,581 362.7 6,868 380.2 
			 Q05 North Central London 5,821 477.0 5,719 471.2 
			 Q06 North East London 6,050 395.2 6,138 401.8 
			 Q07 South East London 5,806 384.0 5,729 378.1 
			 Q08 South West London 4,790 365.5 4,467 341.5 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 6,963 500.0 7,029 504.9 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 4,878 425.3 4,873 425.2 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 5,198 316.8 5,237 320.6 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire 8,601 410.4 8,476 405.4 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 7,519 391.8 7,579 396.7 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester 10,664 421.3 10,670 423.0 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 9,752 414.2 9,708 413.0 
			 Q16 Thames Valley 6,129 290.1 6,031 286.7 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 5,777 321.4 5,772 322.8 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 4,742 296.4 4,738 298.0 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex 8,909 346.5 8,879 346.5 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 8,084 368.9 8,368 384.2 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula 6,056 378.2 5,691 357.8 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset 4,785 396.5 4,843 403.8 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire 5,846 459.4 5,960 469.7 
			 Q24 Trent 9,339 349.7 8,874 334.7 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 5,371 339.6 5,368 341.5 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 4,923 329.1 4,850 324.8 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 9,205 404.9 9,153 402.8 
			 Q28 West Midlands South 4,743 305.9 4,890 317.8

Hospital Names

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the procedure is for the naming of the new hospital in Havering NHS Trust; and who has the final decision on the new name.

Ivan Lewis: This is a local issue. The Department expects national health service organisations to use sensible names that are clear, ideally with a geographical reference, without acronyms.
	If a trust wishes to use a royal name, the procedure is that they would have to write to Buckingham Palace for permission.

Mackinsey Review

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 12 October 2006,  Official Report, column 847W, on Mackinsey Review, what plans she has to monitor cross border arrangements in any review outcome; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The reconfiguration of local health services is a matter for the local national health service. It is for local NHS organisations, in conjunction with local stakeholders, to plan and develop services to meet both national and local priorities.

Malnutrition

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent of malnutrition  (a) on admission to hospital and  (b) in hospital.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested on the extent of malnutrition on admission to hospital is in the table.
	
		
			  Total number of finished admission episodes where the primary diagnosis is malnutrition; 
			   Number 
			 Kwashiorkor 1 
			 Nutritional marasmus 10 
			 Unspecified severe protein-energy malnutrition 13 
			 Protein-energy malnutrition of moderate and mild degree 0 
			 Retarded development following protein-energy malnutrition 1 
			 Unspecified protein-energy malnutrition 233 
			 Total malnutrition 258 
			  Notes: 1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. 3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data, i.e. the data are ungrossed.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care. Information on the extent of malnutrition in hospital is not collected centrally as HES does not cover assessment of malnutrition once a patient has been admitted.

McKinsey and Co.

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projects were undertaken by McKinsey and Co. for her Department in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07, broken down by subject.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 16 October 2006
	We do not always engage consultants on a project basis, but McKinsey and Co. were involved in the following workstreams for assisting the Department with national health service reforms in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07:
	 2004-05
	Preparing case studies on implementing new financial flows and contracting arrangements for NHS Foundation Trusts. Two further projects were commissioned to assess international best practice in funding health care systems through payment by results, and evaluating wave one foundation trusts.
	 2005-06 and 2006-07 to date
	Assisting in developing a strategy for the Commercial Directorate's Commercial Advisory Board;
	Acting as advisers to the Commercial Directorate to assist in the development of the independent sector procurement programme;
	Assisting in developing and implementing the Department's internal high level review;
	Engaged in delivering waves one and two of the PCT fitness for purpose programme;
	Supporting the Department in assessing the impact of UK health system reform on clinical quality.

Mental Health

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will assess the impact on the funding of mental health and learning disability services in Northamptonshire of the merger of the county's primary care trusts.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 24 October 2006
	The Department does not expect any mental health or learning disability service to be asked to contribute more in financial savings or cost improvement plans, than any other service in the local health economy, unless that service contributed to the deficit. Where mental health services are being asked to put up money this year to assist the health community overall, then they should get it back in the following financial year, as set out in the Operating Framework 2006-07.
	The Department's recovery and support unit, as part of its performance management of strategic health authorities (SHAs), is investigating cases brought to its attention, to determine if financial plans have failed to observe the above principles. In particular, if mental health services' contribution to savings constitute a greater percentage of their turnover, than that of other local providers (as a rule of thumb, mental health services should not be contributing above the local average).
	Where it is agreed that the expected savings are disproportionate, the SHA, following discussions with the relevant PCT, will be asked to write to Richard Cleave, director of performance, providing:
	The rationale for the disproportionate savings;
	a commitment to reduce the savings expected to be made by mental health providers in 2007-08, by the same amount they have been asked to over-contribute this year;
	an affirmation of their commitment to deliver their local development plans in mental health for early intervention, crisis resolution and the community development workers.

Methylphenidate

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received relating to new research conclusions on the long term effects of methylphenidate; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Methylphenidate is a stimulant drug that is authorised in children over six years of age as part of a comprehensive treatment programme for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Treatment should be under the supervision of a specialist. Clinical trials submitted at the time of licensing have examined the safety and efficacy of methylphenidate in children with ADHD who received treatment for up to 12 months.
	Since methylphenidate was first authorised in the United Kingdom, a range of representations regarding its safety profile have been received from Members of Parliament, patients and health care professionals. Some of these have specifically questioned the need for further research into its long-term safety profile but none have specifically provided information about the findings of new research.
	It is recognised that there is limited information about the long term efficacy and safety profile of methylphenidate. This is reflected in the product information, which advises that treatment should be discontinued periodically to assess the child's condition and that treatment should usually be discontinued during or after puberty.
	Stimulants such as methylphenidate are known potentially to affect weight gain and growth in children following long-term use. The product information, for prescribers and patients/carers and the British National Formulary contain warnings about this risk and advise that the child's weight and height should be regularly checked throughout treatment. A number of studies have been conducted to examine this issue and these inform current clinical guidance which recommends regular monitoring and treatment breaks in children who are not gaining weight or growing as expected.
	The longer term safety of the use of methylphenidate in routine clinical practice is closely monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in conjunction with other European regulatory authorities. There are currently ongoing discussions at European level on whether further formal studies are required to extend the knowledge about the safety profile of methylphenidate, including the long term safety profile. As new data emerge they are carefully evaluated by the MHRA and where necessary current prescribing advice is updated to reflect the new evidence.

Methylphenidate

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what representations she has received on the breaching of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines on the prescription of methylphenidate to young children; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of how many children  (a) are diagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and  (b) are receiving (i) prescribed medication, (ii) alternative treatments and (iii) a combination of such treatments.

Ivan Lewis: We have received no representations about the breaching of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on the prescription of methylphenidate to children.
	NICE recommended in March 2006 that drug treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should only be initiated by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional with expertise in ADHD and it should be based on a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis. Continued prescribing and monitoring of drug treatment may be performed by general practitioners, under shared care arrangements. Information on the number of prescriptions issued for methylphenidate in the community for children aged 0-15 years and those aged 16-18 years in full-time education is in the following table.
	Information is not collected on the number of children diagnosed as having ADHD; nor how many are receiving  (a) prescribed medication,  (b) alternative treatments or  (c) a combination of such treatments.
	NICE has estimated that around five per cent of school-aged children meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, equivalent to 366,000 children and adolescents in England and Wales, but not all these children will require treatment.
	
		
			  Prescriptions issued for methylphenidate (Ritalin) for 0-15 years and 16-18 years in full-time education 
			  England  Number 
			 September 2001 to August 2002 215,000 
			 September 2002 to August 2003 274,000 
			 September 2003 to August 2004 320,000 
			 September 2004 to August 2005 341,000 
			 September 2005 to August 2006 384,000 
			  Notes: 1. Data are for 0-15 year olds and those aged 16-18 in full time education. 2. Data cover prescriptions prescribed by general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and others in England and dispensed in the community in the United Kingdom.  Source:  PACT Data

Midwives

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for how long midwives may be absent from the profession before they need to be retrained in order to practise again.

Rosie Winterton: Midwives wishing to renew their registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council must meet the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (Education, Registration and Registration Appeals) Rules Order of Council 2004. A copy of the order is available in the Library.
	The detailed requirements are set out in the PREP Handbook (2004) setting out the Nursing and Midwifery Council's post-registration education and practice standards.
	From August 2006, the PREP standard requires registrants to have practised for 450 hours in the three years prior to their registration expiring. If a midwife fails to meet this standard they will need to successfully complete a return to practice programme before being considered for re-entry to the register.

Modernising Medical Careers Scheme

Malcolm Rifkind: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action has been taken to ensure that there will be enough training posts for young doctors under the modernising medical careers scheme; if she will delay its introduction; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The four United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) announced on 29 September indicative figures for the number of places planned to be available during the transition to new specialty training programmes in 2007. The figures suggest that the there will be between 22,000 and 23,000 training opportunities to doctors across the UK. Of these, the CMOs' preliminary estimate is that 17,000 to 18,000 will provide access to run-through training programmes. Work is continuing on refining these figures.
	Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) is a major initiative aimed to improve both patient care and doctors' training. It is subject to effective governance processes involving the four Health Departments and the national health service. We are satisfied that MMC is proceeding satisfactorily and we do not consider it necessary to delay it, which would only cause uncertainty and confusion at this stage.

Negligence Claims

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the likely cost to the NHS of  (a) clinical negligence claims,  (b) non-clinical negligence claims and  (c) costs associated with each category of claims in 2006-07; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The national health service litigation authority (NHSLA) makes a provision in its accounts for all existing claims and for claims that might arise for incidents that have occurred but have not yet been reported. The NHSLA accounts for 2005-06 declare a provision for clinical negligence claims of 8,219,452,000, and for non-clinical negligence claims of 125,528,000.

NHS Consultants

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on external consultancy services in  (a) 1995 and  (b) 2005.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect information from the national health service that would allow for an analysis of external consultancy services.

NHS Operations

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of NHS-contracted operations was fulfilled by each independent sector treatment centre.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 23 October 2006
	The Department measures independent sector treatment centre contract performance on the basis of value rather than activity. This is to allow for the variations, which can occur through substitution of activity between procedures of varying value.

NHS Reconfiguration

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to give reasons when she rejects a recommendation from an Overview and Scrutiny Committee for a proposed NHS re-configuration to be referred to the Independent Review Panel.

Andy Burnham: An overview and scrutiny committee (OSC) may make a referral to the Secretary of State on the grounds of inadequate consultation or that the proposals are not in the best interests of the health service. In making her decision the Secretary of State may seek advice from the independent reconfiguration panel but is not required to do so. The response to the OSC focuses on the specific grounds of referral and there are no plans to change this.

NHS Reconfiguration

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to give reasons when she accepts a recommendation from an overview and scrutiny committee for a proposed reconfiguration of NHS services when the proposed reconfiguration spans two local authority areas.

Andy Burnham: An overview and scrutiny committee (OSC) may make a referral to the Secretary of State on the grounds of inadequate consultation or that the proposals are not in the best interests of the health service. The response to the OSC will address the specific grounds of referral.

NHS Training Budgets

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the strategic learning and research advisory committee last discussed NHS training budgets; and what advice the committee has given her about  (a) NHS training needs and  (b) the cost of meeting those needs in the immediate future.

Rosie Winterton: The strategic learning and research advisory group (StLaR) last discussed training budgets at its meeting on 20 June 2006.
	StLaR members recommended a monitoring regime in 2006-07 on the impact of allocations and subsequent local NHS decisions on higher education institutions. The outcome of this work, being undertaken by Universities UK/Council of Deans, will be discussed at the next meeting of StLaR in December 2006. More detailed engagement of relevant bodies, including Universities UK, in workforce planning was also recommended.
	StLaR provides advice via Permanent Secretaries of the Department and the Department for Education and Skills at a strategic level and therefore does not make specific recommendations on the detail of training numbers or projected costs.

TB

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts have not implemented the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published its clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of tuberculosis (TB), and measures for its prevention and control, in March 2006. The Healthcare Commission, as part of its annual health check of NHS organisations, monitors the implementation of NICE guidelines. NHS trusts should take heed of the guideline when planning and procuring TB services to fit their local demography and incidence on TB in their area.
	The Department of Health has been developing a toolkit to help the NHS to implement the key points of the Chief Medical Officer's action plan Stopping Tuberculosis in England, published in October 2004, through effective commissioning and delivery of services. The toolkit will recommend that TB services should always follow the NICE clinical guideline when diagnosing and treating patients with TB, including latent TB.

NICE

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review the remit and scope of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence investigations to ensure that they are able to assess adequately the wider benefits of treatments to society, across health and social care and to carers and their families.

Andy Burnham: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) already takes factors such as wider benefits to patients' families into account where it is appropriate to do so. For example, NICE'S economic modelling on its work for the appraisal of drugs for Alzheimer's disease has included an assessment of the impact of benefits accruing to carers. NICE explicitly takes account of publicly funded personal social services costs in its appraisals.

Nurses

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average starting pay for a newly qualified nurse was in each of the last 30 years in real terms.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is set out in the table.
	
		
			   Starting pay 
			   Cash( 1,2)  Real terms( 3) 
			 1977-78 2,563 11,166 
			 1978-79 2,776 10,890 
			 1979-80 3,368 11,307 
			 1980-81 4,198 11,922 
			 1981-82 4,450 11,537 
			 1982-83 4,998 12,101 
			 1983-84 4,998 11,564 
			 1984-85 5,398 11,866 
			 1985-86 6,000 12,506 
			 1986-87 6,475 13,073 
			 1987-88 7,300 13,955 
			 1988-89 8,025 14,341 
			 1989-90 8,565 14,285 
			 1990-91 9,335 14,436 
			 1991-92 10,230 14,908 
			 1992-93 10,820 15,276 
			 1993-94 10,980 15,108 
			 1994-95 11,320 15,344 
			 1995-96(4) 11,605 15,266 
			 1996-97 11,895 15,138 
			 1997-98 12,385 15,316 
			 1998-99 12,855 15,504 
			 1999-2000 14,400 17,023 
			 2000-01 14,890 17,358 
			 2001-02 15,445 17,587 
			 2002-03 16,005 17,678 
			 2003-04 16,525 17,725 
			 2004-05(5) 18,114 18,909 
			 2005-06 18,698 19,155 
			 2006-07 19,166 19,166 
			 (1) Starting pay for a newly qualified nurse is normally the minimum of the grade applicable to basic grade qualified nurses.  (2) The grades applicable to basic grade qualified nurses in the years set out in the table are as follows: 1977-78 to 1987-88staff nurse 1988-89 to 2003-04D grade 2004-05 to 2006-07agenda for change band 5. Figures given are for the minimum of these grades in the year in question, including any staged increases.  (3) Real terms in 2006-07 prices.  (4) The starting pay given for 1995-96 is the rate for non-trust staff.  (5) The starting pay given for 2004-05 is the minimum of the agenda for change band 5 scale at the effective date of implementation of agenda for change on 1 October 2004.

Orthopaedic Treatment

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress she is making in discussions with orthopaedic hospitals on the tariff for specialist operations.

Andy Burnham: Departmental officials continue to work closely with the Specialist Orthopaedic Alliance, which is representative of the United Kingdom's five specialist orthopaedic hospitals. The last meeting between the Department and the Alliance was on 17 October 2006.

Primary Care Trusts

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost is of the reorganisation of primary care trusts in Norfolk.

Andy Burnham: The costs of the changes that were announced on the 16 May will depend on a number of factors, including the location of new organisations being created, the number of people in the new organisations, and new pay ranges for very senior managers as well as changes in estate costs following reconfiguration.
	These arrangements are currently being worked up and discussed with trade unions and staff. Until those discussions have been concluded and the detail of new arrangements agreed it is not possible to confirm or accurately forecast costs.
	Commissioning a patient-led national health service is designed to deliver 250 million savings from administration costs through streamlining for reinvestment in frontline services. The savings are expected to be realised by the end of 2007 and then every year for reinvestment beginning in 2008-09.

Private Finance Initiative

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the review by her Department of the private finance initiative scheme for Peterborough hospitals to be concluded; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Department announced on the 26 January that all trusts with private finance initiative schemes with an expected capital value of greater than 75 million would need to reconfirm their plans. These reviews ensure that all schemes properly take account of the current reforms to the national health service (NHS) such as choice, a movement of services into primary and community settings, the new financial regime as well long-term affordability, assumptions on efficiency gains and income growth. On 18 August, it was announced that six schemes had passed the review. The scheme at Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one where further work is needed in order to address outstanding affordability and capacity issues. An announcement about the scheme will be made shortly.

Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most common reason for  (a) out-patient and  (b) in-patient admission to the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is only available at trust level. The table below details the top 10 finished admission episodes by primary diagnosis for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals National Health Service Trust for 2004-05:
	
		
			  Primary diagnosis  Finished admission episodes 
			 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 8,843 
			 Liveborn infants according to place of birth 3,661 
			 Senile cataract 2,318 
			 Chronic ischaemic heart disease 2,209 
			 Dorsalgia 1,447 
			 Abdominal and pelvic pain 1,447 
			 Perineal laceration during delivery 1,137 
			 Angina pectoris 895 
			 Other disorders of urinary system 889 
			 Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease 809 
			  Notes:  1. Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  2. Diagnosis (primary diagnosis) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.  3. Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).  4. Data quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care.

Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect she expects the proposed changes to services offered by the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath to have on the NHS South East Coast Strategic Health Authority deficit.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 23 October 2006
	NHS South East Coast is working with local people, local government and other stakeholders to produce plans for modern healthcare services that are high quality, safe as well as being clinically and financially sustainable. A document entitled Creating an NHS Fit for the Future was published in February 2006 and this detailed first steps in developing the strategy.
	The Creating an NHS Fit for the Future programme is being rolled out across Surrey and Sussex and Kent and Medway. In Surrey and Sussex it is concluding its discussion phase. If proposals emerge which recommend significant changes to the services provided, a full public consultation exercise will follow.

Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were admitted to the accident and emergency department of the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 23 October 2006
	Information on attendances at and admissions via accident and emergency (A and E) departments is only collected centrally at trust level. The following table shows the number of attendances at, and admissions via, all types of A and E department for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust for 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06.
	
		
			   Organisation  Number of admissions via A and E (all types)  Total A and E attendances (all types) 
			 2003-04 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 17,721 112,695 
			 2004-05 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 19,364 120,463 
			 2005-06 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 20,073 124,386 
			  Note:  Admissions data include admissions via all types of A and E.  Source:  Department of Health dataset QMAE

Regional Health Authorities (Personnel)

Jane Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has issued to regional health authorities on  (a) establishment numbers and  (b) headcount as a measure of efficiency.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not give advice to strategic health authorities (SHAs) on establishment numbers or headcount as a measure of efficiency.
	We would expect SHAs to work with providers and commissioners to enable the local health community to become more efficient using supporting tools such as the Better Care, Better Value indicators.

Residential Care

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support her Department offers to directors of adult social care in providing a choice of residential care for those who have both learning and physical disabilities.

Ivan Lewis: holding 19 October 2006
	The Government are committed to ensuring that people are given a choice when deciding which care home to enter once they have decided that their needs will best be met in a care home.
	The Choice of Accommodation Directions 1992 allow people who have been assessed by local authorities as requiring to move to a care home to exercise real and genuine choice over where they live. The Department issued revised guidance to local authorities on 14 October 2004.
	In September 2004, the Department published a clarification note for commissioners and regulation and inspection authorities. This provides clarification on the policy framework for commissioning learning disability services and emphasises the key principle that local needs should be addressed by local expertise and resources.

Risk Assessments

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what risk assessments the NHS has carried out on the health consequences of leaving perishable waste uncollected for up to two weeks.

Caroline Flint: The NHS has not carried out any risk assessment on the health consequence of leaving perishable waste uncollected for up to two weeks. This is not an issue for the NHS.
	Domestic waste collection is a local authority responsibility. All issues with regard to domestic waste collection and domestic waste management reside with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and issues with respect to local authorities reside with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). These Departments have legislative and regulatory powers in this area, something that neither the Department nor the NHS has. Should either DEFRA or DCLG have any health concerns with regard to waste disposal or collection policy they would raise them with the Department.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total salary bill is for  (a) the Royal Sussex county hospital,  (b) Worthing hospital and  (c) Southlands hospital in West Sussex.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not collected centrally.

South Petherton Hospital

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when South Petherton Hospital will be reopened; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This is a local matter. Local national health service (NHS) organisations are responsible for decisions about local services in their area. NHS South West has advised officials that the former South Somerset Primary Care Trust (PCT) has developed a business case for the redevelopment of South Petherton Hospital, which would need to be considered by the newly formed Somerset PCT.
	The hon. Member may wish to approach the PCT directly for further details on this matter.

Trust Deficits

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George) of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, columns 2177-78W, on Trust deficits, when her Department's chief economic adviser was commissioned to undertake detailed analysis of the causes of NHS deficits; which individuals and organisations are supporting the analysis; when she expects the analysis to be completed; whether she has drawn any interim conclusions from the analysis completed thus far; and if she will publish the analysis when complete.

Andy Burnham: In his report on the financial position of the national health service at provisional outturn, 2005-06, published in June 2006 the Director General of Finance and Investment gave notice of his intention to ask the Department's Chief Economic Adviser to undertake further detailed analysis of the causes of deficits. The terms of reference for this work were finalized during the summer.
	The Chief Economic Adviser is working with economists and finance professionals within the Department of Health, the Health and Social Care Information Centre, the Centre of Health Economics at the University of York, and various NHS stakeholders (including PCTs and NHS trusts) to complete this analysis. We expect the work to be completed in the autumn. The Department will publish the findings of this study in due course.
	Independent Government auditors agree with our assessment that there is no single, simple cause of deficits, just as there are no single, simple solutions for eradicating them.

West Sussex Health Care

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received on the reconfiguration of health services in West Sussex.

Andy Burnham: Due to the way data are collected, the Department is unable to provide the number of letters received in relation to the proposed reconfiguration of health services in West Sussex.

Worthing Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most common reason for  (a) out-patient and  (b) in-patient admission to Worthing Hospital was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is available only at trust level. The table details the top 10 finished admission episodes by primary diagnosis for Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust for 2004-05.
	
		
			   Primary diagnosis  Finished admission episodes 
			 N18 Chronic renal failure 5,797 
			 O26 Maternal care for other conditions predominantly related to pregnancy 2,485 
			 Z38 Live born infants according to place of birth 1,929 
			 H25 Senile cataract 1,814 
			 R10 Abdominal and pelvic pain 1,584 
			 C50 Malignant neoplasm of breast 1,415 
			 R07 Pain in throat and chest 1,151 
			 O36 Maternal care for other known or suspected foetal problems 907 
			 O70 Perineal laceration during delivery 784 
			 C67 Malignant neoplasm of bladder 781 
			  Notes: 1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. 3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data, i.e. the data are ungrossed. 4. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England. The Health and Social Care Information Centre liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. Whilst this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care.

Worthing Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were admitted to Worthing Hospital Accident and Emergency Department in each of the last three years.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is only collected at trust level. The information in the table details the number of attendances at, and admissions through, the accident and emergency (A and E) department at Worthing and Southlands National Health Service Trust, 2003-04 to 2005-06.
	
		
			   Organisation  Number of admissions via A and E  Total A  and E attendances 
			 2003-04 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 12,168 56,842 
			 2004-05 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 13,688 61,333 
			 2005-06 Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 14,124 62,026 
			  Source:  Department of Health dataset QMAE.

Worthing Hospital

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most common reason for admission to Worthing hospital Accident and Emergency Department was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is only available at trust level. The following table details the top 10 finished admission episodes by primary diagnosis via accident and emergency departments for Worthing and Southlands hospitals national health service trust for 2004-05:
	
		
			   Primary diagnosis  Finished admission episodes 
			 R07 Pain in throat and chest 694 
			 S72 Fracture of femur 537 
			 R10 Abdominal and pelvic pain 520 
			 J44 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 342 
			 J22 Unspecified acute lower respiratory infection 323 
			 120 Angina pectoris 296 
			 S09 Other and unspecified injuries of head 291 
			 150 Heart failure 286 
			 121 Acute myocardial infarction 279 
			 148 Atrial fibrillation and flutter 262 
			 R55 Syncope and collapse 262 
			  Notes: 1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. 3. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). 4. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England. The Health and Social Care Information Centre liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care

HOME DEPARTMENT

Adult Defendants

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many adult defendants  (a) found guilty and  (b) given custodial sentences in court cases were (i) asylum seekers, (ii) illegal immigrants, (iii) legal immigrants not yet granted leave to remain in the UK and (iv) immigrants granted leave to remain in the UK, in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what percentage of  (a) adult defendants,  (b) adult defendants found guilty of offences and  (c) those given a custodial sentence in each of the last five years were (i) born in the UK and (ii) not born in the UK.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account is taken of the suppliers of animals used in laboratory experiments when assessing the compliance of facilities licensed to conduct such activities with regulatory requirements.

Joan Ryan: The use of animals in experiments and other scientific procedures is strictly regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
	Animals listed in schedule 2 to the 1986 Act may only be used if obtained from designated breeders and or suppliers. Schedule 2 lists: mouse, rat, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, dog, cat, primate, quail, ferrets, gerbils, pigs if genetically modified and sheep if genetically modified.
	Such animals must, unless an exemption is granted, be obtained from designated breeders and suppliers in the United Kingdom. All of these designated breeders and suppliers are required to comply with the conditions of issue of a Certificate of Designation issued under the 1986 Act, to comply with Home Office codes of practice and are subject to regular inspection by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. All users must keep records of the source and disposal of protected animals. These records are available to the Home Office on request. Additional administrative controls require that, unless otherwise authorised by the Secretary of State, breeding and supplying designated establishments may only obtain animals of the types listed in schedule 2 from other designated sources. Applicants seeking permission to obtain such animals from non-designated sources are generally required to demonstrate that no suitable animal can be obtained from a designated source. Suitability may be determined by particular factors including strain, age, weight and health status.
	There are additional controls for the acquisition and use of non-human primates. Approval for the acquisition of non-human primates from overseas, or from other non-designated sources, will only be given if the conditions at the breeding or supplying centre are acceptable to the Home Office. The Home Office has detailed knowledge of the standards and practices of the overseas breeders that supply captive bred non-human primates to UK laboratories, in advance of their being used, and they are subject to periodic visits by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. Approval is also conditional upon lifetime health records being supplied with the animals and made available to the Home Office upon request. Project licence holders must maintain and make available to the Home Office, on request, records relating to the non-designated centres from which the animals are obtained. Each batch of animals acquired from overseas must be separately authorised, and the transport arrangements must be acceptable to the Home Office. The Home Office must also be supplied with details of the health status of the animals on, and after, arrival at the designated establishment.
	Requests to use animals of the types specified in schedule 2 to the 1986 Act from non-designated sources are generally treated on a case-by-case basis, the Secretary of State being able to grant exemptions to the requirement that they be obtained from approved breeders in the United Kingdom when he believes this is justified.

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many regulated procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were carried out in Scotland in 2005;
	(2)  what proportion of the regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2005 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were performed by  (a) public health laboratories,  (b) universities and medical schools,  (c) national health service hospitals,  (d) Government Departments,  (e) other public bodies,  (f) non-profit making organisations and  (g) commercial organisations;
	(3)  how many of the regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2005 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 involved  (a) cats,  (b) dogs,  (c) rabbits,  (d) horses and other equids,  (e) new world primates and  (f) old world primates; and how many involved (i) genetically modified animals and (ii) animals with a harmful genetic defect;
	(4)  how many  (a) mice,  (b) rats,  (c) guinea pigs,  (d) hamsters,  (e) rabbits,  (f) horses and other equids,  (g) sheep,  (h) pigs,  (i) birds,  (j) amphibians,  (k) reptiles,  (l) fish,  (m) cats,  (n) dogs,  (o) new world primates and  (p) old world primates were used in regulated procedures conducted in Scotland in 2005 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986;
	(5)  what proportion of the project licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 that were in force in Scotland at the end of 2005 were in the  (a) mild,  (b) moderate,  (c) substantial and  (d) unclassified severity banding;
	(6)  how many infringements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were recorded in Scotland at the end of 2005; and how many prosecutions resulted.

Joan Ryan: Comprehensive statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain of animals carried out under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are published annually. Copies of the publication for 2005 (Cm 6877) can be found in the Library.
	The data is not collected, stored or presented in a way enabling it to be easily broken down between England, Wales and Scotland as the 1986 Act is administered by the Home Office for the whole of Great Britain (it is administered separately in Northern Ireland). A special exercise has therefore been conducted to isolate the information requested in relation to Scotland.
	During 2005, 408,794 regulated procedures under the 1986 Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were carried out in Scotland.
	During 2005, in Scotland, universities and medical schools carried out 62 per cent. of the regulated procedures under the 1986 Act, Government Departments 3 per cent., other public bodies 15 per cent. and commercial organisations 20 per cent. Public health laboratories, NHS hospitals and non-profit making organisations did not carry out any regulated procedures.
	During 2005, in Scotland, there were four regulated procedures involving cats conducted under the 1986 Act, 1,723 involving dogs, 6,938 involving rabbits, 69 involving horses and other equids, 79 involving new world primates, 1,306 involving old world primates, 128,561 involving genetically modified animals and 11,048 involving animals with a harmful genetic defect.
	During 2005, in Scotland, 267,960 mice, 49,284 rats, 2,944 guinea pigs, 774 hamsters, 3,016 rabbits, 69 horse and other equids, 5,294 sheep, 941 pigs, 7,854 birds, 238 amphibians, 56,993 fish, four cats, 1,308 dogs, 46 new world primates and 864 old world primates were used in regulated procedures under the 1986 Act. No reptiles were used.
	During 2005, in Scotland, 39 per cent. of the project licences granted under the 1986 Act that were in force at the end of 2005 were in a mild severity banding, 57 per cent. in moderate, 2 per cent. in substantial and 2 per cent. in an unclassified severity banding.
	Five infringements of the 1986 Act were reported at designated establishments in Scotland during 2005. No prosecutions resulted.

Asylum/Immigration

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to inform  (a) schools and  (b) housing providers promptly after the removal of failed asylum seekers.

Liam Byrne: Once a family has been removed, immigration officers inform the school or the local education authority that the children will no longer be attending. The immigration service also updates internal computer systems with this information and informs housing providers by letter.

Asylum/Immigration

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2006,  Official Report, column 2113W, on asylum/immigration, how many enforced removals to Iran have taken place since 2004.

Liam Byrne: The latest published information on removal of asylum seekers covers the first quarter of 2006. The following table shows the number of principal asylum applicants removed to Iran since 2004, broken down into voluntary and enforced removals.
	
		
			  Principal asylum applicants removed from the United Kingdom, to Iran, from 2004 to Q1 2006( 1,2) 
			   2004  2005( 3)  Q1 2006( 3)  Total 
			 Total principal asylum applicants(4) 220 350 95 665 
			  Of whom: 
			 were enforced removals(5,6) 65 145 30 240 
			 left under Assisted Voluntary Return programmes(7) 155 205 65 425 
			 (1 )Figures rounded to the nearest five, and may not sum due to rounding. (2 )Provisional figures. (3) Removals since 2005 include those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. (4 )Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, excluding dependants. (5 )Includes persons departing 'voluntarily' after enforcement action had been initiated against them, and voluntary departures. (6 )Excludes assisted voluntary returns. (7 )Persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return programmes run by the International Organization for Migration. May include some on-entry cases and some cases where enforcement action has been initiated.

Asylum/Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an independent investigation into conditions in immigration detention centres; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: All removal centres are subject to regular inspection, both announced and unannounced, and HMCIP publishes her reports of individual inspections.

Asylum/Immigration

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are being held in immigration detention centres; how many of these have been held for more than three months; and how many are unaccompanied.

Liam Byrne: As at 25 March 2006, and rounded to the nearest five, there were 50 persons recorded as being under 18, detained solely under Immigration Act powers, of whom five had been in detention for more than three months. Information on the number of unaccompanied minors detained is not held centrally and therefore unavailable.

Basic Command Units

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether basic command units will be coterminous with  (a) unitary councils and  (b) two-tier local government areas.

Tony McNulty: The boundaries of basic command units (BCUs) are determined by the responsible chief constable. Of some 225 BCUs we understand that all but six are either coterminous with a single district council or London borough, or are coterminous with a number of district councils when taken together, or when combined with a number of other BCUs are coterminous with a single council.

Basic Command Units

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which local authorities are in each basic command unit area.

Tony McNulty: The boundaries of basic command Units (BCU) are determined by the responsible chief constable. I have placed in the Library a table detailing which local authorities constitute the whole or part of each BCU in England and Wales as at April 2006.

British Citizenship

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the requirements are for  (a) Commonwealth and  (b) other foreign nationals serving in the armed forces to qualify to apply for British citizenship.

Liam Byrne: The requirements for foreign Commonwealth nationals applying for British citizenship, who are also serving members of the armed forces, are the same as for any other foreign national applying for citizenship. They must make a successful application for naturalisation under sections 6(1) or 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981. The statutory requirements for naturalisation are set out in that Act and are summarised in the guide for applicants that accompanies application forms. Policy and procedures for handling applications is available for viewing on the IND website: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

Car Boot Sales

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's estimate is of the proportion of crime associated with car boot sales; and what steps he is taking to counteract such crime.

Tony McNulty: No estimates have been made of the proportion of crime associated with car boot sales.
	Although we are aware that many people greatly enjoy attending car boot fairs, they are one of the places used by criminals to profit from crime. A number of enforcement agencies including the police and trading standards routinely act to tackle crime at car boot sales, just as in other areas, but we recognise that it can be difficult to assert consumer and other rights in such informal channels.
	In recognition of those difficulties, the Government are seeking to amend the Enterprise Act to enable public authorities to disclose information for civil proceedings. This will enhance the protection of Intellectual Property Rights and redress for consumer harm.
	We are also proposing to consult widely on how best to work with traders in second-hand goods to disrupt markets for stolen goods. That consultation will also seek views on how best to work with the organisers of occasional sales such as car boot fairs to reduce the opportunities for criminals to benefit from attending such events.

Cargo

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of cargo shipments are checked for the presence of explosives at  (a) ports and  (b) other locations in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	It is not Government policy to comment in detail on, or provide information relating to, methods employed to counter terrorist attacks. The UK complies fully with all relevant and international regulations in respect of ports, airports and the channel tunnel. We keep our measures under continuous review in the light of the current threat.

Class A Drugs

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of class A drugs in circulation in Scotland he estimates originates from Afghanistan.

Vernon Coaker: We estimate that around 90 per cent. of heroin in the UK originates from Afghanistan. We would expect the proportion to be the same in Scotland.

Code of Conduct (Breaches)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps he has taken to improve the detection of officials who breach official guidelines or the code of conduct; and what instructions he has issued concerning disciplinary procedures for those officials.

John Reid: Responsibility for investigating all allegations of corruption has been centralised, increased investment in data mining capability has been provided and the development of a new code of conduct for staff in the Public Inquiry Office who deal directly with members of the public is due to be implemented.

Colchester Garrison

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in 2005 Essex police attended incidents at the Colchester garrison; and how many such occasions there have been in 2006.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Community Call for Action

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what process will be followed if a councillor does not respond to a Community Call for Action under the provisions outlined in the Police and Justice Act 2006.

Tony McNulty: The Community Call for Action will enable local communities to trigger action by the police or other local agencies where they have failed to tackle persistent local crime or antisocial behaviour problems. Under clause 18(3) of the Police and Justice Bill, ward councillors will be under a duty to respond to a call for action. We expect most problems referred to a councillor to be resolved informally through discussion with the relevant local agency with only the most difficult problems being referred to the local authority overview and scrutiny committee. Where a councillor decides not to refer a matter to the overview and scrutiny committee, clause 18(4) provides that the person raising the problem may refer it to the local authority executive for consideration. The council executive will have the same rights as the councillor to liaise with the relevant agencies and to refer difficult issues to the overview and scrutiny committee for resolution.

Community Call for Action

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a  (a) district council and  (b) county council scrutiny committee will consider a Community Call for Action in a two-tier local government area.

Tony McNulty: Under the provisions of clause 19 of the Police and Justice Bill (as amended on Lords Report) district council overview and scrutiny committees will be responsible for considering Community Calls for Action in two-tier areas.

Convictions

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of cases of each category of crime, as reported to the police or other authority, resulted in a  (a) conviction in court,  (b) reference to a Youth Court and  (c) conviction in a jurisdiction outwith England and Wales in each year since 1999.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not available centrally. The recorded crime statistics are based on offences and the court proceedings statistics are based on persons. As a result the two datasets are not directly comparable.
	Data on crimes reported to the police for the years requested are available in the Home Office publication, Crime in England and Wales 2005-06, which can be accessed via the link http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0506.html
	Data on Court Proceedings is available from our Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 2004 publication which is available via the web link http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1905.pdf. Data on Convictions broken down by category of crime for the last 10 years can be found in table 3.6 of the publication.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 4 April from the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding a constituent, HO ref: J1098816.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 8 May 2006
	I wrote to the right hon. Member for Walsall, North on 4 May 2006.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer the letter to his predecessor of 2 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Juliet Kufvoz.

Liam Byrne: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 July 2006.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 27 June 2006 from the hon. Member for Walsall North regarding a constituent, ref M15727/6.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 11 September 2006
	I wrote to the hon. Member for Walsall, North on 7 September 2006.

Crime Statistics (Suffolk)

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the recorded rate of crime was in Suffolk for  (a) burglary of dwellings,  (b) violence against the person,  (c) vehicle crime,  (d) robbery,  (e) sexual offences,  (f) total violent crime,  (g) theft and handling of stolen goods and  (h) criminal damage in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: The available information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Suffolkrecorded crime rates per 1,000 population( 1) 
			   Violence against the person  Sexual offences  Robbery  Violent crime  Burglary dwelling  Vehicle crime  Theft and handling  Criminal damage 
			 1997(2) 3.7 0.6 0.2 4.5 3.7 10.1 25.6 11.8 
			  
			 1998-99(3) 5.7 0.6 0.2 6.5 3.7 9.7 25.6 11.8 
			 1999-2000 7.9 0.6 0.3 8.8 3.5 9.7 26.0 14.2 
			 2000-01 9.5 0.6 0.3 10.4 3.3 9.3 25.5 15.0 
			 2001-02(4) 10.8 0.7 0.4 12.0 3.6 10.2 28.6 17.8 
			  
			 2002-03(5) 11.9 0.9 0.4 13.1 3.4 9.4 28.1 17.2 
			 2003-04 14.2 1.0 0.4 15.6 3.5 8.6 27.1 19.1 
			 2004-05 15.3 0.9 0.4 16.6 2.6 8.1 26.0 18.8 
			 2005-06 14.7 1.0 0.4 16.0 2.8 7.7 26.8 19.1 
			 (1 )Uses population data available at the time the recorded crime data was published. (2) The introduction of new counting rules and expanded coverage in 1998-99 means data not comparable with later years (3) The introduction of new counting rules and expanded coverage in 1998-99 means data not comparable with earlier years. (4 )The introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in 2002-03 means data not comparable with later years. (5 )The introduction of the NCRS in 2002-03 means data not comparable with earlier years.

Criminal Justice

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his oral statement of 20 July 2006,  Official Report, column 472, on criminal justice, what estimate he has made of the effect on the prison population of ending  (a) the requirement that judges should automatically halve the minimum term when setting the earliest release date for those serving unlimited sentences,  (b) the automatic discount to those re-sentenced on appeal and  (c) the automatic one-third discount to those who plead guilty.

John Reid: The impact on the prison population of changes to the way sentences are calculated will depend on how these proposals are implemented. The Government intend to publish a consultation on a number of sentencing issues, which will include estimates of the impact of the proposals. The Government do not intend to consult on changes to sentencing discounts for early guilty pleas, which is being considered by the Sentencing Guidelines Council, or for re-sentencing for unduly lenient sentences. The impact of these changes is currently being assessed.

Crown Courts

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have escaped from Crown courts while on trial in each of the last five years.

John Reid: Details of the number of prisoners that escaped from Crown courts are set out in the following table. They include prisoners who escaped while appearing for pre-trial hearings, trials and sentencing.
	
		
			  Escapes from Crown courts for last five years 
			   Number 
			 2001-02 11 
			 2002-03 7 
			 2003-04 8 
			 2004-05 9 
			 2005-06 6

Dave Roberts

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the job title of Mr. Dave Roberts is; and whether changes have been made to his responsibilities in the last two months.

John Reid: Dave Roberts remains the head of enforcement and removals. The post now reports to a new senior director for enforcement and compliance (Stuart Hyde) following the separation of enforcement and borders with two distinct board level roles. Criminal casework has also been expanded and became a directorate in its own right on 1 June 2006 headed by a separate director.

Departmental Child Care Facilities

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what childcare  (a) provision and  (b) assistance is available to his Department's staff.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office provides childcare support as part of a range of work-life balance benefits for staff and in order to promote equality of opportunity. As part of the provision a limited number of subsidised workplace nursery and playscheme places are provided for staff in London, Croydon and Merseyside. The following table shows the nurseries and playschemes used. The Home Office also operates a Childcare Voucher salary sacrifice scheme. The scheme was introduced in June 2005 and is now available to all Home Office staff, including those working for the immigration and nationality Directorate and the prison service. Identity and passport service staff have access to a salary plus childcare voucher scheme. This provides eligible staff with childcare vouchers in addition to their salary to the value of 20 per week for pre-school children aged 0-4 and 15 per week for after school and holiday care for children aged 5-12. Additionally, IPS staff are able to use the Home Office salary sacrifice scheme to enable them to obtain the maximum benefit from the tax and National Insurance exemption. A separate table setting out the nursery and playscheme provision is also shown.
	
		
			  Workplace nursery places  Location  On/Offsite  Number of places available 
			 Buffer Bear Network Central London and the South East Off site 32 
			 Sunbeam Nursery(1) Croydon On site 71 
			 Early Days Nursery Liverpool Off site 4 
		
	
	
		
			  Holiday Playschemes  Area  On/Offsite  Number of places (days) 
			 Westminster Holiday Playscheme Central London Off site (2)463 
			 Happy Hours Playscheme Crosby Off Site (2)15 
			 Sunbeam Playscheme Croydon Onsite (2)4,060 
			 Kidz Club Playscheme Liverpool Off site (3)15 
			 (1 )The Sunbeam Nursery will be closing in December 20006 (2 )Use of the playscheme varies and places are generally provided on a 'first come first served basis' The figures provided are based on the number of days used by staff in the financial year 2005-06. year. (3 )As use of the playscheme varies an estimate has been provided based on usage of the scheme so far this

Departmental Travel

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that all flights undertaken by Ministers and officials in his Department are carbon neutral; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: All central Government ministerial and official air travel has been offset from 1 April 2006. Departmental aviation emissions are calculated on an annual basis and subsequently offset through payments to a central fund. The fund purchases certified emissions reductions credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects with sustainable development benefits, located in developing countries.

Deportation and Removal

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his written statement of 15 May 2006,  Official Report, column 39WS, on deportation and removal of foreign nationals, when he will provide the details which he referred to as being available in due course; and when he will answer Questions 67590, 67592 and 67593 tabled by the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 June 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to my replies of 3 July 2006,  Official Report, column 876W.

Dorset Police

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what national police responsibilities are tasked to Dorset constabulary.

Tony McNulty: Under the terms of the Police Act 1996 each police authority in England and Wales is responsible for maintaining an efficient and effective force for policing its police area. Section 96A(4) of the 1996 Act sets out the national and international functions of the Metropolitan police. No other police force has statutory national police responsibilities although individual chief officers lead for the Association of Chief Police Officers on particular policing and criminal justice issues. The allocation of these portfolios is a matter for ACPO.

Environmental Standards

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department  (a) is committed to the achievement of environmental management to ISO 14001 standard and  (b) has been externally certified as in compliance with that standard; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office is committed to the achievement of environmental management to the ISO 14001 standard. In line with the Government target all major buildings on the Home Office estate now have an environmental management system based on ISO 14001 principles. The Department has also introduced a number of certified ISO 14001 systems in key areas such as the main headquarters building in 2 Marsham street and the custodial estate.

EU Accession Countries Worker Registration Scheme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department next plans to review the working of the EU Accession Countries Worker Registration scheme; and when it next expects to publish a report.

Liam Byrne: In developing and implementing the Worker Registration scheme (WRS) we have sought to strike the right balance between the objective of monitoring the labour market impact of enlargement and avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy. The Government believe that the WRS has worked well to date as a means of monitoring impacts and as a safeguard against fraudulent access to benefits. However, we will continue to keep the scheme under review. The most recent accession monitoring report was published on 22 August 2006. The next accession monitoring report will be published towards the end of November 2006.

EU Veto

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the Government's policy to retain the national veto on Justice and Home Affairs at European Union level under all circumstances.

John Reid: We welcome efforts to take forward EU co-operation in the Justice and Home Affairs field, in line with the Hampton Court delivery agenda. We would need to be fully satisfied that any changes to the existing arrangements would genuinely improve the decision-making process, and that such a move would be in the UK's national interest.
	The proposal to change the current voting arrangements for police and judicial co-operation and move from unanimity to qualified majority voting was discussed by EU Interior and Justice Ministers at the JHA Informal Council in Tampere on 20-22 September and the JHA Council in Luxembourg on 5-6 October. A broad exchange of views took place, where there was limited support for the proposal.
	The Government also set out the concerns which the UK had about the proposal, many of which were shared by other member states. These featured prominently in the negotiations on the JHA aspects of the draft constitutional treaty, where the UK identified a number of substantive concerns, including the potential impact on national security, the extension of external competence and the need for safeguards such as the emergency brake. These concerns remain as valid now as they were then.
	It is, as yet, unclear whether the Finnish presidency will bring forward further work in this area but the Government consider the current debate to be over and that we should instead focus on practical measures in the current JHA agenda. We will keep Parliament informed of any developments.

Extradition

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for extradition from the UK to the US have been made in each of the last five years; and how many  (a) were successful,  (b) were unsuccessful and  (c) remain outstanding.

John Reid: Figures are given in the following table. Rather than use terms like successful with reference to extradition requests, we show the number of cases which have resulted in surrenders and the number which have closed for other reasons. The figure does not include requests from Ministers in Scotland and Northern Ireland, who have devolved powers to make or grant requests.
	
		
			  England and Wales requests to U.S. 2001 to 2005 
			   Total  Surrenders  Closed without surrender  Outstanding from the year 
			 2001 4 2 1 1 
			 2002 9 3 4 2 
			 2003 5 3 2 - 
			 2004 2 2   
			 2005 7 1 2 4

Extradition

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals the UK has  (a) successfully and  (b) unsuccessfully attempted to extradite from the United States since 1997 in cases where all proceedings are complete, broken down by type of charge.

Joan Ryan: These figures only apply to England and Wales, as Scotland and Northern Ireland make their own extradition requests. Since 1997, 33 individuals have been successfully extradited from the US. In addition to this, the subject of one extradition request to the US was arrested in New Zealand and 15 extradition requests have been withdrawn by the UK's prosecuting authorities. The following table gives an annual breakdown of the numbers returned, requests withdrawn and the offences concerned in each case.
	
		
			  UK extradition requests to the U.S. 
			   Extradited 
			   Offence  Number 
			 1997 Obtaining Property by Deception, Conspiracy to Obtain Property by Deception, False Accounting and Conspiracy to Defraud; 6 
			  Murder (x2)  
			  Sexual Offences  
			  Drug Offences  
			  Furnishing False Information and Procuring the Execution of a Valuable Security by Deception  
			
			 1998 Theft 5 
			  Drug Offences (x2)  
			  Causing Death by Reckless driving; Furnishing False Information  
			
			 1999 Murder (x2) 2 
			
			 2000 Threats to Kill; Child Abduction. 2 
			
			 2001 Child Abduction (x2) 3 
			  Tax Evasion  
			
			 2002 Rape 3 
			  Murder  
			  Fraud  
			
			 2003 Drug Offences 2 
			  Murder  
			
			 2004 Kidnap and Child Abduction 4 
			  Drugs  
			  Sex Offences (x2)  
			
			 2005 Burglary 1 
			
			 2006 Child Abduction 4 
			  Manslaughter  
			  Murder  
			  Obtaining a Money Transfer by Deception  
		
	
	
		
			   Withdrawn  
			   Offence  Number 
			 1997 Child Abduction 2 
			  Making a False Statement (Contrary to Companies Act 1985)  
			
			 1998 Money Laundering 1 
			 1999 Dishonestly Handling Stolen Goods 3 
			  Theft  
			  Child Abduction  
			
			 2000 Blackmail 2 
			  Kidnapping and Assault  
			  Drunk on an Aircraft  
			
			 2001 Theft 1 
			
			 2002  0 
			
			 2003 Murder 3 
			  Tax Offences  
			  Fiscal Offences  
			
			 2004 Fraud 3 
			  Murder  
			  Theft, Handling Stolen Goods  
			
			 2005 Drug offences 1 
			
			 2006 Forgery and Obtaining Property by Deception 1

Extradition

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from representatives of the United States on extradition of individuals suspected of being an enemy combatant.

John Reid: I believe the hon. Gentleman to be referring to unlawful enemy combatants as defined in the US Military Commissions Act 2006. No suspect has been described to us as an unlawful enemy combatant in any representations received from the US on extradition.

Firearms

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) handguns were confiscated and  (b) convictions there were for the possession of handguns in each police authority area in each of the last eight years.

Tony McNulty: Data from HMRC for the number of illegal weapons including handguns seized by HM Customs and Excise for the years 1997 to 2003 in England and Wales can be found in the following table.
	For the years 2004-05, please refer to the following website link:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm
	Figures for the number of firearms seized by police forces are not collected centrally.
	Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the number of convictions for possession of a firearm, by police force area 1997 to 2004, can be found in the following table.
	Data held by the court proceedings database is unable to identify separately the type of firearm possession.
	Data for 2005 will be available in mid November.
	
		
			  Number of illegal weapons seized by HM Customs and Excise 
			  Year ended 31 March  Hand guns  Rifles  Shotguns  Self defence sprays  Stun guns  Total 
			 1997 264 268 32 3,452 120 4,136 
			 1998 333 174 362 4,248 344 5,461 
			 1999 83 106 51 2,343 106 2,689 
			 2000 417 95 129 1,169 101 1,911 
			 2001 163 48 44 2,428 114 2,797 
			 2002 304 111 219 1,237 144 2,015 
			 2003 126 102 36 866 255 1,385 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty of various firearm( 1)  offences at all courts, by police force area in England and Wale  1997 to 2004( 2, 3, 4) 
			  Police force area  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Avon and Somerset 70 60 35 38 57 38 47 44 
			 Bedfordshire 18 14 7 10 13 22 15 20 
			 Cambridgeshire 21 31 28 19 11 17 22 11 
			 Cheshire 31 18 20 32 21 19 17 23 
			 City of London 2 4 1 1 3 5 3 5 
			 Cleveland 27 20 15 18 15 16 19 23 
			 Cumbria 16 27 17 20 22 13 21 25 
			 Derbyshire 36 24 51 40 33 30 27 54 
			 Devon and Cornwall 54 44 50 30 38 37 39 39 
			 Dorset 12 17 16 19 16 16 18 22 
			 Durham 35 38 29 31 18 16 24 32 
			 Essex 61 62 40 43 29 39 44 47 
			 Gloucestershire 28 28 10 16 17 20 16 20 
			 Greater Manchester 131 153 143 132 153 133 135 176 
			 Hampshire 66 45 48 40 35 53 51 53 
			 Hertfordshire 24 21 16 31 26 15 21 25 
			 Humberside 28 36 27 23 31 34 32 46 
			 Kent 42 66 52 45 53 48 50 51 
			 Lancashire 64 61 38 52 37 40 41 52 
			 Leicestershire 37 50 33 55 47 26 42 35 
			 Lincolnshire 23 31 21 29 29 22 16 32 
			 Merseyside 53 56 41 32 44 52 50 77 
			 Metropolitan police 388 391 337 290 349 431 485 386 
			 Norfolk 30 30 25 18 18 26 12 31 
			 North Yorkshire 46 55 28 29 27 12 18 16 
			 Northamptonshire 15 14 25 19 12 13 10 19 
			 Northumbria 99 84 103 88 123 78 91 95 
			 Nottinghamshire 40 65 39 44 39 44 63 44 
			 South Yorkshire 55 58 69 58 45 64 61 88 
			 Staffordshire 30 39 22 (4) 36 40 36 26 
			 Suffolk 19 11 18 18 18 15 25 34 
			 Surrey 10 12 8 15 18 18 17 19 
			 Sussex 34 26 26 23 30 21 30 35 
			 Thames Valley 64 60 57 27 34 45 39 44 
			 Warwickshire 21 14 14 11 17 12 10 15 
			 West Mercia 35 26 30 16 38 31 25 32 
			 West Midlands 149 144 139 135 139 148 152 132 
			 West Yorkshire 97 115 94 74 66 79 70 119 
			 Wiltshire 5 13 19 15 19 20 13 13 
			 Dyfed-Powys 33 24 18 19 14 19 27 20 
			 Gwent 14 22 12 28 18 17 24 26 
			 North Wales 35 27 19 21 12 14 18 27 
			 South Wales 51 44 60 49 49 34 56 46 
			 Total 2,149 2,180 1,900 1,753 1,869 1,892 2,032 2,179 
			 (1) Includes the following: Using firearms or imitation firearms to resist arrest. Possessing firearms or imitation fire arm at time of committing or being arrested for an offence specified in schedule 1 of the Act. Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises. Possessing etc firearm or ammunition without firearm certificate. Possessing etc shot gun without certificate. Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition. Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. Possession of firearms by persons previously convicted of crime. Carrying loaded firearm in public place etc. Person under 17 having with him an air weapon in a public place. (2 )These data are on the principal offence basis. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source: RDS-Office for Criminal Justice Reform. Our Reference: PQ 224-06

Foreign Prisoners

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether judges' recommendations on the desirability of deportation at the end of the sentence are routinely placed on prisoners' files; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Recommendations for deportation are retained in prison custody offices along with committal warrants, certificates of conviction, and other orders requiring a prisoner's detention. They will be referred to when calculating or checking a prisoner's sentence, a process which occurs at intervals during sentence and particularly as release approaches.

Foreign Prisoners

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) instructions and  (b) guidance have been issued to (i) the director of Bronzefield prison, (ii) the chief constable of Surrey and (iii) the Surrey police authority on procedures relating to the future release of foreign nationals from Bronzefield prison.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 1 May 2006
	In a written ministerial statement of 19 July 2006,  Official Report, column 29WS, I provided an update to the House on the progress being made by the immigration and nationality directorate and all of the relevant criminal justice agencies in ensuring that foreign national prisoners face deportation and that this happens as early as possible in their sentence. The Department re-issued Prison Service Order (PSO) 4630 on 17 July 2006 to all prisons including Bronzefield prison. This instruction sets out the procedures and actions relating to immigration matters and overrides all other instructions to governors and directors released prior to that date. You will be able to access this information on the HM Prisons website at:
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/resourcecentre/psispsos/listpsos/index.asp?startrow=51

Foreign Prisoners

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether  (a) illegal immigrants and  (b) foreign national prisoners are (i) DNA tested and (ii) fingerprinted before being deported.

Liam Byrne: Immigration legislation does not provide any powers to take DNA samples from individuals. Under provisions in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984, police officers may take a DNA sample from any person arrested or charged in connection with a recordable offence. Section 141 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (as amended) provides a power for authorised persons to take fingerprints from any person in respect of whom a relevant immigration decision has been made. This includes the decision to remove an illegal entrant and the decision to deport. When serving a decision notice on an illegal entrant, the immigration officer will check against existing immigration fingerprint records and if there is no trace he or she will fingerprint the individual. In the case of foreign national prisoners, fingerprints will have been taken at an earlier stage under police powers at the point of charging for the criminal offence.

Foreign Prisoners

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the foreign prisoners released without being deported had been held in prisons or detention centres in Kent; and how many of them are unaccounted for.

Liam Byrne: The Director General of the immigration and nationality directorate wrote to the Home Affairs Committee on 29 June and set out, in line with the Home Secretary's requirements, the most accurate data the Department currently holds on the 1,013 foreign national prisoner cohort released without due deportation consideration.

Gangmasters

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the involvement of gangmasters in  (a) people smuggling,  (b) illegal copying and selling of DVDs and  (c) other types of organised crime; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Serious Organised Crime Agency has considered the threat posed by gangmasters to the UK in the context of organised immigration crime. The assessment is contained in the published UK Threat Assessment of Serious Organised Crime 2006-07. The assessment states that for many illegal workers in the UK a job is part of their facilitation package and criminal gangmasters are involved in finding work for illegal immigrants. The Gangmasters Licensing Authority began licensing the agricultural, horticultural, shellfish gathering, and associated processing industries in March 2006.
	There is no evidence to suggest that gangmasters are involved in illegal copying and selling of DVDs or any other types of organised crime. In order to ensure a joint industry and Government response to counterfeiting and piracy, the Government launched the National IP Crime Strategy in 2004. The Annual Enforcement Report, published by the Patent Office, sets out the range of action being taken by Government and industry bodies to tackle this problem.

Identity and Passport Service

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost will be of setting up the new identity and passport service office in Kendal.

Joan Ryan: holding answer 24 October 2006
	No estimate of costs for individual sites has been made. The Kendal interview office has not yet been delivered to IPS but the contract requires all premises to be made available by the end of 2006.
	The estimated costs of providing and running the 69 interview offices for the first year of operation (2006-07) are 58.32 million with an annual running cost from 2009-10 of 29 million. All costs will be met from passport fees.

Identity Cards

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed  (a) national identity card and  (b) biometric passport will utilise (i) RFID chips and (ii) proximity chips.

Joan Ryan: Proximity chips are being introduced into travel documents worldwide to fulfil international requirements established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a division of the United Nations. As both biometric passports and the proposed identity card are, or are intended to be, travel documents, they are required to comply with such requirements. It should be noted that the UK's new e-passport, over 2.5 million of which have now been issued, includes a proximity chip in order to meet ICAO requirements and to meet the conditions of the US Visa Waiver Programme.
	The chips being used in passports communicate with the passport reader using radio frequencies. However, use of the term RFID chips for these causes confusion as, for many people, RFID implies functionality found in RFID Tags which are low-security, passive devices, capable of being read by standard equipment at a distance of several metres. The chips used in passports are designed to be capable of being read at distances of only a few centimetres and implement Basic Access Control in accordance with international standards. This requires the reader to scan optically information on the data page of the passport and pass this to the chip before the chip will communicate with the reader. Thus, it would not be possible for a reader to extract any data from the chip at a distance or if the reader had not been able to scan the passport's data page. RFID Tags will not be utilised in either the biometric passport or the national identity card.
	In addition to Basic Access Control, proximity chips in the identity card and passport will use other cryptographic measures in order to prevent the information on the chip from being modified. It is also planned that further advanced encryption will be utilised to secure biometric information on the chip of the passport and card in the future. This will comply with Extended Access Control standards that are currently under development at an international level.

Identity Cards

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the forecast charge is for registering a change of  (a) name,  (b) marital status and  (c) address under the proposed national identity card scheme.

Joan Ryan: The Government have indicated in Parliament that it anticipates that changes to information on a person's record on the national identity register that would not require a change of card ( e.g. address) would not incur a fee.
	With regard to other changes of information that do involve a change of card, a schedule of fees has not yet been decided and will depend on the outcome of procurement processes related to the national identity scheme.
	It should be noted that marital status will not be recorded on the national identity register and thus the need to update marital status does not arise.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many caseworkers have been employed by the immigration and nationality directorate to work on asylum applications in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: We are not able to provide the information in the format requested. Staffing numbers are recorded by grade, location and work area. As the grade and responsibilities of caseworkers have changed over time, we are not able to establish accurately the number of caseworkers from this data.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel were employed by the immigration and nationality directorate to process deportation orders in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2002,  (c) 2003,  (d) 2004,  (e) 2005 and  (f) the last period for which figures are available.

John Reid: The number of employees engaged on processing deportation orders is not disaggregated from the overall number of employees within the immigration and nationality directorate (IND) and therefore not readily available. Any attempt to calculate the number of employees involved in processing deportation orders in each of the last five years would need to take into account a large number of factors and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	However one of the main functions of the criminal casework directorate (CCD) within IND is to process deportation orders for foreign national prisoners. The average number of full-time equivalent employees in this area, from when the figures are available from 2002-03, during each of the past four financial years is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2002-03 24 
			 2003-04 32 
			 2004-05 54 
			 2005-06 94.5

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the decisions made by staff at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate Public Enquiry Office in Croydon were subject to quality assurance checks in each year since 1997.

John Reid: The number of cases sampled in the Public Enquiry Office during the period January 2006 to 23 May 2006 was 3.6 per cent. of completed cases. This compares to 1.7 per cent. of cases sampled for the period May 2005 to December 2005.
	There are no formal records for the number of cases sampled in the Public Enquiry Office prior to May 2005. Prior to this date cases were cleared by a supervisor, but no central record was maintained.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applicants were interviewed in the course of the Gbedemah Inquiry.

John Reid: The PEO does not deal with asylum applicants. No asylum applicants were interviewed in the course of the Gbedemah Inquiry, which investigated allegations about practices within the Public Enquiry Office in Croydon.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the findings of the inquiry into allegations of abuse at Lunar House, Croydon; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The findings of the investigation into allegations about practices within the Public Enquiry Office at Lunar House in Croydon were published on 14 March 2006.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent instructions he has issued to the immigration and nationality directorate concerning the extension of analysis of PEO decisions to cover more cases and to include analysis of patterns and trends.

John Reid: Tim Gbedemah's report of 3 March 2006 specifically identified the need to cover more cases and to include analysis of patterns and trends. This recommendation was fully accepted and senior managers within the Public Inquiry Office are taking this work forward.

Islamist Publications (Prisons)

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether instructions have been issued to prison governors on the receipt of Islamist publications by prisoners.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 October 2006
	There has been no centrally issued instruction to prison governors on the receipt of Islamist publications by prisoners. However, governors can receive advice from their security, chaplaincy and race equality teams if they have specific concerns or issues about particular publications.

Knives (Hendon)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many knives were recovered as part of the recent amnesty by Barnet police.

Tony McNulty: This information is not available centrally. Figures for the number of items surrendered to the police during the knife amnesty which ran from 24 May to 30 June 2006 have been collated at police force level. A total of 89,864 items were surrendered in England and Wales.
	The Metropolitan police reported that 9,145 knives and other sharp instruments were handed in to them.

Ministerial Visits

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons Ministers in his Department have visited in each year since 1997; and for what purposes.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I am placing in the Library a list of the visits to prisons by Home Office Ministers since 1 May 1997. Ministers visit prisons for a variety of reasons including: general familiarisation; attending the launch of an initiative or opening of a new building or wing; attending a meeting, such as the Suicide Prevention Roundtable; or attending a religious service. Information on the purpose of each individual visit is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget is for  (a) the National Offender Management Service and  (b) the regional offender managers for 2006-07.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The delegated resource budget for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) (this includes the Prison Service, National Probation Service and Youth Justice Board as well as NOMS HQ) for the year 2006-07 is 4,294,248,000; the delegated capital budget is 380,478,000.
	The total delegated resource budget for the Regional Offender Managers' offices for 2006-07 is 11,780,682.

Neighbourhood Policing

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on neighbourhood policing outside the capital.

Vernon Coaker: The Government are committed to introducing neighbourhood policing to every part of England and Wales by April 2007. By April 2008, every community will have its own neighbourhood policing team.
	Neighbourhood policing is about local policing teams being genuinely visible and responsive to people, and dealing effectively with the crime and antisocial behaviour that concerns them. A key part of neighbourhood policing is that everyone will know their local policing team, and be able to contact them easily by telephone or by email. The Government are supporting the roll-out of neighbourhood policing, not only through general police grant, but also through specific funding around police community support officers (PCSOs). This will total around 222 million this year and includes an additional 91 million announced in the Budget to accelerate numbers of PCSOs to 16,000 by April 2007 (around 11,500 outside London). This will increase the pace of the roll-out of neighbourhood policing overall.

Open Prisons

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have absconded from Leyhill Open Prison in each month since November 2005, broken down by offence; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Absconds from Leyhill Open Prison November 2005-October 2006( 1) 
			  Month/year  Offence  Total 
			  2005   
			 November Supplying drugs 4 
			  Possession drugs with intent to supply  
			  Robbery  
			  Conspiracy to commit theft  
			
			 December Robbery x 5 9 
			  Rape  
			  Blackmail  
			  Possession drugs  
			  Burglary  
			
			  2006   
			 January Arson 4 
			  Grievous Bodily Harm  
			  Burglary  
			  Robbery  
			
			 February Theft 2 
			  Robbery  
			
			 March Possession of firearm with intent to endanger life 2 
			  Murder  
			
			 April Burglary 2 
			  Robbery  
			 May Burglary 1 
			
			 June Burglary x 2 2 
			
			 July  0 
			
			 August Burglary x 2 3 
			  Robbery  
			
			 September Burglary x 2 2 
			
			 October( )(to 24 October 2006) Driving while disqualified x 2 6 
			  Robbery x 3  
			  Fraud and deception  
			  Note: Data from April 2006 to October 2006 is provisional

Operation Scully

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the total cost of Operation Scully from its commencement to  (a) 30 June 2006 and  (b) 31 July 2006;
	(2)  How many full-time equivalent  (a) Immigration and Nationality Directorate Officials,  (b) police officers and  (c)other officials from his Department have been employed on Operation Scully in each month since it commenced.

John Reid: The information is not available in the format requested. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set out in his statement to the House on 9 October 2006 that the Director General of the Immigration Nationality Directorate had written to the Home Affairs Committee on the same day.
	This letter provides a further breakdown of the progress made on the 1,013 prisoners released without consideration of deporation and also sets out the use of enforcement resources in dealing with these cases. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Library of the House.

Parliamentary Questions

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to question 68798, tabled by the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire on 3 May 2006, on guidance to staff escorting deported foreign nationals.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 449.

Parliamentary Questions

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department before 1 July were unanswered on 19 July.

Tony McNulty: The number of parliamentary questions outstanding as at 19 July 2006 was 480, equating to 5 per cent. of the total number of questions asked.

Passports

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passport applications were received in each month between June 2004 and July 2005.

John Reid: The number of passport applications received by the Identity and Passport Service for the period June 2004 to July 2005, inclusive, are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Month/Year  Passport applications received 
			 June 2004 680,001 
			 July 2004 616,776 
			 August 2004 460,284 
			 September 2004 423,836 
			 October 2004 348,150 
			 November 2004 332,461 
			 December 2004 227,766 
			 January 2005 533,491 
			 February 2005 598,999 
			 March 2005 640,670 
			 April 2005 730,206 
			 May 2005 696,864 
			 June 2005 741,492 
			 July 2005 623,153

Persistent and Prolific Offenders

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persistent and prolific offenders have been identified in each police force area in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

John Reid: The following table gives a breakdown of the number of offenders on Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) schemes in each police force area across England and Wales. The data were extracted from J-Track (the PPO tracking database) in June 2006.
	
		
			  Police force area  Number of PPOs in June 2006 
			 Avon and Somerset 240 
			 Bedfordshire 137 
			 Cambridgeshire 102 
			 Cheshire 174 
			 Cleveland 132 
			 Cumbria 74 
			 Derbyshire 368 
			 Devon and Cornwall 405 
			 Dorset 208 
			 Durham 53 
			 Dyfed-Powys 78 
			 Essex 245 
			 Gloucestershire 97 
			 Greater Manchester 740 
			 Gwent 81 
			 Hampshire 230 
			 Hertfordshire 180 
			 Humberside 184 
			 Kent County 311 
			 Lancashire 391 
			 Leicestershire 364 
			 Lincolnshire 196 
			 London 1147 
			 Merseyside 384 
			 Norfolk 138 
			 North Wales 120 
			 North Yorkshire 77 
			 Northamptonshire 212 
			 Northumbria 212 
			 Nottinghamshire 554 
			 South Wales 206 
			 South Yorkshire 243 
			 Staffordshire 223 
			 Suffolk 170 
			 Surrey 186 
			 Sussex 348 
			 Thames Valley 347 
			 Warwickshire 74 
			 West Mercia 124 
			 West Midlands 749 
			 West Yorkshire 295 
			 Wiltshire 72 
			 Total 10,871 
		
	
	The following table gives a breakdown of the numbers of offenders on Prolific and other Priority Offender (PPO) schemes in each police force area across England and Wales. The data were extracted from J-Track (the PPO tracking database) in June 2005.
	
		
			  Police force area  Number of PPOs in June 2005 
			 Avon and Somerset 227 
			 Bedfordshire 115 
			 Cambridgeshire 94 
			 Cheshire 183 
			 Cleveland 93 
			 Cumbria 70 
			 Derbyshire 354 
			 Devon and Cornwall 352 
			 Dorset 216 
			 Durham 47 
			 Dyfed-Powys 88 
			 Essex 195 
			 Gloucestershire 91 
			 Greater Manchester 564 
			 Gwent 72 
			 Hampshire 225 
			 Hertfordshire 231 
			 Humberside 117 
			 Kent County 390 
			 Lancashire 417 
			 Leicestershire 329 
			 Lincolnshire 104 
			 London 1,112 
			 Merseyside 363 
			 Norfolk 121 
			 North Wales 148 
			 North Yorkshire 73 
			 Northamptonshire 133 
			 Northumbria 184 
			 Nottinghamshire 482 
			 South Wales 199 
			 South Yorkshire 190 
			 Staffordshire 136 
			 Suffolk 167 
			 Surrey 276 
			 Sussex 268 
			 Thames Valley 327 
			 Warwickshire 72 
			 West Mercia 119 
			 West Midlands 685 
			 West Yorkshire 305 
			 Wiltshire 82 
			 Total 10,016 
		
	
	Data is not available for 2004.

Police

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost of a fully-trained  (a) police constable and  (b) police community support officer was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The average estimated cost of employing a police officer (sergeant and constable) in 2005 was approximately 45,500. This estimate includes all pay-related costs including overtime payments and employer national insurance contributions. It also makes an allowance for notional employer pension contributions.
	Salary and other terms and conditions for police community support officers (PCSOs), as with all police (civilian) staff are determined by the respective police authority. We do not routinely maintain data on PCSO salaries. The most recent data we have on PCSO salary costs and allowances is contained in a report by Accenture on terms and conditions for PCSOs, which was published on 3 February. The report provides a range of data on basic pay rates and allowances from 2004-05 paid to PCSOs and an analysis of the variations between forces. The report found that the typical (unweighted) average salary for PCSOs was 17,200 and the average total cash reward (basic salary plus allowances and overtime) was 20,500. The report is available on the Home Office website:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/community-policing/community-support-officers/
	Employers' national insurance is an additional 11 per cent. The average pension contribution between police authorities is not available for 2004-05 but estimated in 2005-06 to be 14.2 per cent.

Police Force Mergers

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for police forces to merge.

John Reid: As I made clear to the House on 19 June, I do not intend to proceed with enforced mergers of police forces, and I undertook to continue the discussions with the police service to find the best way forward. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's report Closing the Gap made plain deficiencies in the capability and capacity across the country for providing protective services which need to be addressed. The status quo is not an option and it is for this reason that we are now working with police forces, police authorities and HMIC to explore new ways for them to work together to improve those services.

Prison Chaplains

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time stipendiary chaplains are working in the Prison Service in England and Wales; how many are (i) Christian, (ii) Jewish, (iii) Muslim, (iv) Hindu, (v) Sikh, and (vi) of other religions; and what the total cost was to public funds of providing prison chaplaincy services in the last year for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table details the number of full and part-time chaplains employed in both public and contracted prisons in England and Wales. The data do not include chaplains who provide services on a sessional basis. The total cost of providing prison chaplaincy services is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Number of full-time and part-time chaplains employed in both public and contracted prisons in England and Wales 
			   Full-time( 1, 2)  Part-time( 1, 2)  Unknown work pattern( 3) 
			 Christian 188 111 15 
			 Jewish 0 1 0 
			 Muslim 29 7 3 
			 Hindu 1 0 1 
			 Sikh 0 1 0 
			 Other religions 0 2 1 
			 Total 218 122 20 
			 (1) Information for the public sector Prison Service does not include sessional chaplains.  (2) Information for contracted prisons has been obtained from individual contractors.  (3) For certain contracted prisons, information on work patterns was not available.

Prisons

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum capacity is of each  (a) closed prison and  (b) young offender institution; how many inmates there are in each; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested, as at 21 July 2006, is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			  Closed adult prisons 
			  Prison name  Operational capacity  Population 
			 Acklington 854 840 
			 Albany 527 516 
			 Altcourse 1,024 1013 
			 Ashwell 545 540 
			 Bedford 494 479 
			 Belmarsh 905 917 
			 Birmingham 1,450 1,447 
			 Blakenhurst 1,070 1,067 
			 Blantyre House 122 122 
			 Blundeston 464 462 
			 Brinsford 489 479 
			 Bristol 606 594 
			 Brixton 798 807 
			 Brockhill 150 2 
			 Bronzefield 450 426 
			 Buckley Hall 385 378 
			 Bullingdon 963 961 
			 Bullwood Hall 184 91 
			 Camp Hill 585 585 
			 Canterbury 284 282 
			 Cardiff 754 752 
			 Castington 410 401 
			 Channings Wood 667 663 
			 Chelmsford 575 569 
			 Coldingley 392 390 
			 Cookham Wood 185 177 
			 Dartmoor 625 615 
			 Doncaster 1,120 1,114 
			 Dorchester 256 229 
			 Dovegate 860 824 
			 Down view 358 338 
			 Durham 921 874 
			 Eastwood Park 362 339 
			 Edmunds Hill 371 363 
			 Elmley 985 984 
			 Erlestoke 426 423 
			 Everthorpe 681 673 
			 Exeter 533 513 
			 Featherstone 615 608 
			 Forest Bank 1,064 1,049 
			 Foston Hall 274 224 
			 Frankland 734 713 
			 Full Sutton 588 571 
			 Garth 619 607 
			 Gartree 575 505 
			 Gloucester 323 311 
			 Grendon 235 225 
			 Guys Marsh 505 505 
			 Haverigg 568 559 
			 Highdown 707 683 
			 Highpoint 816 811 
			 Holloway 493 468 
			 Holme House 994 992 
			 Hull 1,000 1,000 
			 Kingston 194 190 
			 Kirklevington 223 219 
			 Lancaster 243 239 
			 Lancaster Farms 277 280 
			 Latchmere House 207 190 
			 Leeds 1,150 1,172 
			 Leicester 385 329 
			 Lewes 558 517 
			 Lincoln 490 482 
			 Lindholme 762 765 
			 Littlehey 706 696 
			 Liverpool 1,377 1,314 
			 Long Lartin 444 441 
			 Low Newton 310 281 
			 Lowdham Grange 524 520 
			 Maidstone 589 587 
			 Manchester 1,269 1,230 
			 Morton Hall 392 382 
			 Mount 720 719 
			 New Hall 443 373 
			 Norwich 644 580 
			 Nottingham 510 510 
			 Parc 630 607 
			 Parkhurst 493 471 
			 Pentonville 1,127 1,128 
			 Peterborough 840 816 
			 Preston 690 662 
			 Ranby 1,038 1,036 
			 Risley 1,073 1,065 
			 Rye Hill 600 593 
			 Send 218 211 
			 Shepton Mallet 189 185 
			 Shrewsbury 340 341 
			 Stafford 676 680 
			 Stocken 622 616 
			 Styal 469 445 
			 Swaleside 778 780 
			 Swansea 428 431 
			 Swinfen Hall 240 255 
			 Usk 250 246 
			 Verne 587 586 
			 Wakefield 751 736 
			 Wandsworth 1,459 1,468 
			 Wayland 709 700 
			 Wellingborough 614 604 
			 Wetherby 363 329 
			 Whatton 761 661 
			 Whitemoor 458 435 
			 Winchester 697 713 
			 Wolds 300 287 
			 Woodhill 652 676 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 1,239 1,239 
			 Wymott 1,046 1,045 
		
	
	This includes all closed prisons, including both male and female. Some closed prisons hold YO's in separate, dedicated YO units.
	On occasions prisons are listed as having populations higher than their operational capacity. The reason for this is most often attributed to prisoners on authorised absences.
	
		
			  Young offender institutes( 1) 
			  HMYOI  Operational capacity  Population( 2) 
			 Ashfield 380 373 
			 Askham Grange 128 115 
			 Aylesbury 444 443 
			 Brinsford 489 468 
			 Castington 410 359 
			 Chelmsford 132 132 
			 Deerbolt 458 421 
			 Feltham 764 613 
			 Glen Parva 808 806 
			 Guys Marsh 73 73 
			 Hindley 455 435 
			 Huntercombe 368 357 
			 Lancaster Farms 277 280 
			 Moorland 385 419 
			 Northallerton 252 238 
			 Norwich 180 181 
			 Onley 180 187 
			 Pare 406 426 
			 Portland 524 499 
			 Reading 297 276 
			 Rochester 392 390 
			 Stoke Heath 688 661 
			 Swinfen Hall 380 356 
			 Thorn Cross 321 216 
			 Warren Hill 222 216 
			 Werrington 162 155 
			 Wetherby 363 329 
			 (1) Some YOIs hold juveniles as well as Young Offenders. (2) As at 1 June 2006.

Prisons

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what category of prisoners will be accommodated at HMP Bullwood Hall following the change of status from a female to a male prison; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when the first male inmates are scheduled to be sent to HMP Bullwood Hall; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  when the decision was taken to change the status of HMP Bullwood Hall from a female to a male prison; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  whether a risk assessment was undertaken prior to the decision to change the status of HMP Bullwood Hall from a female to a male prison; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what additional security measures are planned at HMP Bullwood Hall to accommodate the change from female to male prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 15 June 2006
	Category C adult male prisoners are located in Bullwood Hall. Additional security has been put in place, but it is not Government policy to comment on specific security measures. Male prisoners were located at Bullwood Hall from 27 June. The decision to change the function of Bullwood Hall was taken on 18 May 2006. Full consideration was given to the risks involved when making the decision to change function. It was decided to change function to ensure that there was sufficient capacity for the adult male prisoner population at a time when there was spare capacity within the women's prison estate.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Irish nationals are being detained for immigration purposes at prison establishments beyond their release date; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The data on the number of immigration act detainees cannot be separated out for Irish nationals because the numbers are small and their accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates the contracts to build  (a) HMP Altcourse,  (b) HMP Ashfield,  (c) HMP Dovegate,  (d) HMP Forest Bank,  (e) HMP Lowdham Grange,  (f) HMP Parc,  (g) HMP Rye Hill,  (h) HMP Bronzefield and  (i) HMP Peterborough were let; and when each is or was expected to be handed over to the Prison Service for occupancy by inmates.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is shown in the table. The land upon which the prisons are built is leased to the contractor and expires with the operating contract, which runs for 25 years from the opening of the prison (i.e. the receipt of the first prisoners).
	
		
			  Prison  Date of contract signature (contract let)  Date of receiving first prisoners 
			 Altcourse 20 December 1995 1 December 1997 
			 Ashfield 29 June 1998 1 November 1999 
			 Dovegate 24 September 1999 9 July 2001 
			 Forest Bank 1 July 1998 20 January 2000 
			 Lowdham Grange 7 November 1996 16 February 1998 
			 Parc 4 January 1996 17 November 1997 
			 Rye Hill 22 July 1999 21 January 2001 
			 Bronzefield 20 December 2002 17 June 2004 
			 Peterborough 14 February 2003 28 March 2005

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cells  (a) designed for single occupancy were occupied by two inmates and  (b) designed for double occupancy were occupied by more than two inmates on 22 June in each of the last nine years for which figures are available; and at what date he expects there to be none in either category.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not record the number of cells used to hold prisoners in crowded conditions. We do, however, record the number of prisoners held two in a cell certified for one. On this basis we have estimated the number of such cells in the following table. We do not collect information about the numbers of prisoners held in crowded conditions in larger multi-occupancy rooms. There is no planned date to end the use of crowded conditions for all prisoners.
	
		
			   Number of cells 
			 1997-98 Not available 
			 1998-99 6,012 
			 1999-2000 6,110 
			 2000-01 5,564 
			 2001-02 5,724 
			 2002-03 7,294 
			 2003-04 8,181 
			 2004-05 8,439 
			 2005-06 8,493

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) proportion and  (b) percentage of the budgets of (i) his Department and (ii) the Prison Service are (A) required to be spent on and (B) have been spent on non-governmental agencies and charities working in prisons and with released prisoners in each of the last nine years for which figures are available.

Gerry Sutcliffe: There is no requirement for a specific proportion of the Home Office or Prison Service budgets to be spent on non-governmental agencies and charities working in prisons. Partnership working with the voluntary sector is encouraged and takes place in a number of sectors.
	The amount of such expenditure is not separately recorded so the proportion of budget spent cannot be provided.

Prisons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners on prison staff there have been in each of the last eight years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table details incidents of assaults on staff by prisoners in England and Wales prisons reported on the central incident reporting system.
	
		
			  Assaults on prison staff by prisoners in England and Wales prisons reported on the central incident reporting system between 1998 and 2005 
			   Number 
			 1998 1,664 
			 1999 1,949 
			 2000 2,012 
			 2001 2,468 
			 2002 2,587 
			 2003 2,604 
			 2004 2,887 
			 2005 3,209 
			 Total 19,380

Prisons

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the total prison population is eligible  (a) for weekend release and  (b) to work outside prison.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 12 September 2006
	The eligibility requirements for release on temporary licence are complex. These include, for example, the length of sentence imposed, the prisoner's security category and the period of the sentence the prisoner has served. Full details are contained in Prison Service Order 6300, which is available on the prison service website and in the Library.
	Information on the number of prisoners who are eligible for any type of temporary release, including those eligible to work outside prison and those eligible for overnight temporary release is not held centrally and could only be obtained by examining individual prisoner records held in establishments. This could be carried out only at disproportionate cost. Data on the numbers of releases on temporary licence broken down by type of licence are contained in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2004 which is available on the Home Office website.

Prisons

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that escaped prisoners from Leyhill open prison are apprehended; how many prisoners are still at large; and for what offences they were convicted.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 12 October 2006
	When a prisoner absconds from an open prison the police are notified and the prisoner's details entered on the police national computer as being unlawfully at large and subject to immediate arrest.
	Leyhill prison has advised that between 1 April and 10 October this year 12 prisoners absconded. Three of these remain unlawfully at large, of whom two were convicted of robbery and one of burglary.

Prisons

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proportion of the proposed additional 8,000 prison places will be in  (a) public and  (b) private prisons;
	(2)  whether the proposed additional 8,000 prison places will be financed from  (a) public funds,  (b) private finance initiatives and  (c) other means;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of additional prison officers that will be required for the proposed 8,000 additional prison places and  (b) what the cost will be.

John Reid: The programme to provide 8,000 new places is still in development and final decisions have not yet been made.
	We anticipate, however, that around half the additional places will be in public prisons and half in private prisons. Provisional proposals for funding the construction involve a combination of public funds, private finance initiatives and other means.
	The funding required for the recruitment of staff has been accounted for, but is dependent on the type and location of prisons and whether they are financed publicly or privately. As the prison regimes are also under consideration, decisions on the number of additional prison officers required have not yet been made.

Prisons

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1901W, on prison/escort services, what criteria were used in the  (a) old and  (b) new escort contracts to determine the timely arrival of prisoners to courts.

John Reid: Under the old escort contracts, each court had a specific time by which all prisoners scheduled to appear that day should be delivered to the court. This was generally 09:30 hours.
	Under the current contracts, which started on 29 August, contractors are required to deliver prisoners by:
	The designated ready and available for court time (DRACT). This means that prisoners are ready and available 30 minutes before the court sits, having had an opportunity to meet their legal advisor;
	11:30 hours, where the court has scheduled, listed or indicate on a warrant a court appearance after 12:00 hours for a particular prisoner's case; or
	a time agreed with the court on those occasions where a prisoner is being taken to a court at some distance from the prison in which they are being held.

Prisons

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were escorted by court escort services in each of the last five years.

John Reid: Details of the number of prisoners escorted by the court escort contractors to and from courts and between prisons are set out in the following table. The table excludes the number of prisoners escorted by the Prison Service, including category A prisoner moves.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of prisoners escorted 
			 2001-02 952,424 
			 2002-03 1,024,102 
			 2003-04 990,222 
			 2004-05 960,688 
			 2005-06 974,745 
		
	
	Records of moves arranged locally by prisons are not held centrally.

Prisons

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions in each of the last six months when prisoners in closed conditions were moved as a group to open prisons on overcrowding drafts; how many prisoners were so moved; which prisons they were moved to and from in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 16 October 2006
	An overcrowding draft is used in exceptional circumstances to transfer prisoners without delay to an appropriate alternative prison with the same designated level of security categorisation.

Prisons

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nutritionists are employed in  (a) prisons and  (b) young offenders institutes in England.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information requested is not held centrally.
	HM Prison Service offers nutrition and health training courses for staff, leading to a formal qualification from the Royal Institute of Public Health. Since this was introduced in 2002, approximately 300 staff have successfully passed the course. Some establishments also involve the local hospital dietician in their menu planning.
	All prison establishments aim to offer a range of foods that enable prisoners to make healthy eating choices and the overall standard of prison food was recently recognised by the National Audit Office in its report HM Prison ServiceServing Time: Prisoner Diet and Exercise (March 2006). They reported that
	on the whole, food offered to prisoners is in line with the Government's recommendations on healthy eating.

Prisons

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Whitemoor Prison, Cambridgeshire are currently receiving payments to encourage them to participate in leisure activities; what the level of payments are; when the programme commenced; how much the programme has cost to date; which category of prisoners are eligible to participate; what the maximum payment which may be made to each participating prisoner is  (a) per day and  (b) per week; and which other prisons in England and Wales operate similar programmes.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The programme is restricted to the six prisoners in the Close Supervision Centre. The CSC system holds the most dangerous, difficult and disruptive prisoners in prison custody. Payments made are not solely for leisure purposes but cover a range of constructive activities including education, contact with the mental health nurse, gardening, the workshop, cleaning and cooking with a tutor. The programme commenced with the opening of the Whitemoor CSC unit in October 2004.
	The aim of the programme is to encourage prisoners to engage in purposeful and rewarding activity and to reintegrate prisoners back into the main prison system as a step towards encouraging them to address their offending behaviour. The maximum sum a prisoner may earn is 2 per day or 14 per week.
	Whitemoor is one of three prisons in England and Wales containing CSC units. The other two are Wakefield and Woodhill prisons. Each unit is designed to deal with a specific type of CSC prisoner and provides a range of activities designed to meet their needs accordingly.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what management changes are planned at  (a) HM Prison Pentonville,  (b) HM Young Offender Institution Feltham and  (c) London Area Management of the Prison Service; for what reasons these changes are to be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 25 October 2006
	There are no planned management changes at senior level at Pentonville, Feltham or London area office except for where vacancies exist. The London area manager is due to retire in February 2007 and will be replaced then.

Prisons

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff employed by the prison service  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly have (i) resigned and (ii) been sacked for failure to meet professional standards in each of the last 24 months; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 25 October 2006
	The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines he issues to Prison Service governors and staff on  (a) accepting and  (b) declaring hospitality; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Guidance for Governors on accepting or declaring hospitality is contained in the Prison Service Finance Manual Prison Service Order (PSO 7500). Staff are advised through the Prison Service Staff Handbook, which is available to all staff and includes the guiding principles to be followed.
	The Prison Service anti-fraud strategy (PSO1310) contains mandatory actions requiring staff to report any conflicts of interest, including any offer of gifts or hospitality (whether accepted or not), to the Governor or Head of Group.
	This information is also available on the Prison Service website at www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk

Probation Service

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) discretionary lifers and  (b) mandatory lifers who were released on licence and subsequently absconded during the past 10 years are still at large.

John Reid: On 1 September 2006, 18 life licensees (17 mandatory lifers and one discretionary lifer) remained unlawfully at large following the revocation of their life licence in the past 10 years.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many confiscation orders have been issued to recover tainted gifts under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not held centrally. Confiscation orders are made by the courts for a fixed amount. The court decides the defendant's benefit from his criminal conduct. This is calculated to include the value of all tainted gifts made by the defendant.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of cases in which the Assets Recovery Agency has used its powers to seize tainted gifts under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 since its establishment.

Vernon Coaker: The Assets Recovery Agency does not hold information in this form.

Proscribed Organisations (Terrorists)

Si�n Simon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the criteria are for placing a terrorist group on his Department's list of proscribed organisations.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used for including a group on the List of Proscribed Groups.

Tony McNulty: Section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000 provides a power for the Home Secretary to proscribe an organisation which he believes is concerned in terrorism. This is done by adding the organisation to Schedule 2 of the Terrorism Act 2000 which lists proscribed organisations. An organisation is concerned in terrorism if it commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism, promotes or encourages terrorism or is otherwise concerned in terrorism. This power was extended by section 21 of the Terrorism Act 2006 to include those organisations which glorify the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism. Glorification includes any form of praise or celebration of acts of terrorism. When deciding on whether to make an Order proscribing a group a number of additional factors are taken into account and these were published in 2001. They are the nature and scale of an organisation's activities, the specific threat that it poses to the United Kingdom, the specific threat that it poses to British national overseas, the organisation's presence in the United Kingdom and the need to support other members of the international community in their fight against terrorism.

Proscribed Organisations (Terrorists)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being given to extending the Home Office's list of proscribed terrorist groups.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 19 October 2006
	The list of organisations proscribed in the UK is kept under constant review.

Racial Abuse

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 25 May 2006,  Official Report, column 2025W, on racial abuse, to what he attributes the increase in complaints of racial abuse since January 2005; what steps have been taken to address this issue; and what meetings have been held with senior civil servants to discuss the rise in complaints of racial abuse.

Liam Byrne: The Department re-launched its HR policies in 2005 and this may have led to an increase in staff confidence to report complaints. During this time the Home Office's five year race and diversity programme introduced a series of activities aimed at tackling inappropriate behaviours in the workplace. This has included a re-launch of mandatory diversity training (which incorporates modules on challenging bullying, harassment and discrimination within the workplace) and the introduction of tests for prejudicial attitudes and behaviours in assessment centres. The Home Office's five year race and diversity programme was launched in July 2004. The programme is led by a board of senior civil servants drawn from across the Home Office group.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will introduce the reforms recommended by the report of the review of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

John Reid: The Government have accepted the majority of the review's recommendations and will legislate when parliamentary time allows.
	We are also considering what might be necessary for the disclosure regime in the light of the Bichard report which dealt with criminal records in the context of the protection of children and vulnerable adults.

Road Safety

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what total amount in motoring fines was levied in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) region and  (b) local authority area.

Tony McNulty: Information taken from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform on the total amount of motoring fines ordered to be paid broken down by Government office region in England and Wales from 2000 to 2004 (latest available) is given in the following table. The figures relate only to fines imposed by the courts. Data are not available at local authority area level.
	2005 data will be available early in 2007.
	
		
			  Total amount of court imposed fines for motoring offences, by Government office region, England and Wales, 2000-04 
			   million 
			  Government office region  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 North East 4.5 4.3 4.0 3.9 4.2 
			 North West 20.1 15.9 15.4 17.7 18.0 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 10.3 9.1 8.1 10.3 12.7 
			 East Midlands 10.3 9.6 9.9 13.1 14.4 
			 West Midlands 13.5 11.4 13.1 15.1 16.7 
			 East 10.6 9.5 10.2 11.2 12.0 
			 London 12.5 11.5 11.9 13.9 15.7 
			 South East 16.3 14.9 15.4 16.8 17.1 
			 South West 11 10.4 11.1 13.2 13.6 
			 Wales 7.2 6.1 6.9 7.8 7.8 
			 Total England and Wales 116.3 102.5 106.0 123.1 132.2 
			  Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Sex Offenders Register

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were placed on the sex offenders register were found to be missing in each month since the register was introduced.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The data are not collected centrally in the format requested and could be collated only at disproportionate cost. Once an offender has registered with the police, the level of monitoring, for example home visits, will be determined via a risk assessment. Procedures are in place to ensure that registered sex offenders who are not at the address given are followed up.

Surrey and Sussex Police

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to indicate whether he will meet Surrey Police's claim for costs incurred because of the proposal to amalgamate Surrey and Sussex police forces.

Tony McNulty: Surrey police's claim for 649,311 in additional costs spent on the preparations for their proposed merger with Sussex police, submitted at the Home Office's invitation, has been received and is being assessed along with those submitted by all the other police forces and police authorities in England and Wales. We expect to make an announcement very shortly on how much of the claims will be reimbursed.

Tourists (Crime Statistics)

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many tourists in England and Wales were  (a) killed,  (b) mugged and  (c) raped in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 16 October 2006
	The information requested is not collected centrally.

Under-age Drinking

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were for under-age drinking in  (a) each Government Office region and  (b) each London borough in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005.

Vernon Coaker: There is no specific offence of under age drinking. However, the following table shows data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and details the number of defendants aged 10-17 found guilty at all courts for offences related to drunkenness in 2004. This is broken down as requested. Data for 2005 will be available in the autumn. In addition to this, the penalty notice for disorder (PND) scheme, brought into effect in all police forces in England and Wales in 2004, gives the police powers to issue fixed penalty notices to persons aged 16-17 believed to be committing offences of drunkenness. No admission of guilt is required and payment of the penalty discharges all liability for the offence. Data on the number of PNDs issued to 16-17 year olds for under-age drinking in 2004, as well as provisional data for 2005, are also provided broken down by region. It is not possible to identify the number of PNDs issued in each London borough as the data are not collected at that level of detail centrally.
	
		
			  Number of penalty notices for disorder issued to 16-17 year olds for offences related to drunkenness, 2004 and 2005 provisional data( 1) 
			   2004  2005 (provisional data) 
			   Drunk and disorderly  Drunk in highway  Consuming alcohol in a designated public place  Underage consumption of alcohol on licensed premises  Drunk and disorderly  Drunk in highway  Consuming alcohol in a designated public place  Underage consumption of alcohol on licensed premises 
			 North East 44  1  61  2  
			 East midlands 81 1 1  121 4 4 6 
			 West midlands 129 2 1  116 7 3 4 
			 Eastern 78 2  2 87 7 3  
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 228 3  5 224 2 2 8 
			 North West 494 6 15  689 24 18 15 
			 South West 32 1 1  84 6 2 2 
			 London 55 6   61 10 3 - 
			 South East 115 6   247 8  1 
			 Wales 72 4 1  117 6 1 5 
			 England and Wales 1,328 31 20 7 1,807 74 38 41 
			 (1 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Unpaid Parking Fines

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sum remains unpaid for parking fines incurred by those with diplomatic immunity during each of the last three years; and how much, and what proportion, is owed by each diplomatic mission accredited to the Court of St. James.

Tony McNulty: The information is not collected by my Department. The figures for 2005 are currently being collected. They will be available in the autumn when the FCO will report to Parliament by means of a written ministerial statement providing details about those diplomatic missions in London which have unpaid fines for parking, non-payment of the congestion charge, or other traffic violations.
	
		
			  Unpaid parking and minor traffic violation fines, 2003diplomatic vehicles10 or fewer fines 
			   Final figures 
			  Diplomatic mission/international organisation  Number of fines outstanding  Amount () 
			 Ethiopia 10 1,000.00 
			 Lebanon 10 1,000.00 
			 Indonesia 10 920.00 
			 Congo (DRC) 9 700.00 
			 Slovak Republic 9 680.00 
			 Barbados 9 480.00 
			 Mongolia 8 800.00 
			 Nicaragua 8 800.00 
			 Chile 8 690.00 
			 Albania 8 650.00 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovinia 8 580.00 
			 Nepal 7 560.00 
			 Kyrgyzstan 6 550.00 
			 Mexico 6 540.00 
			 Korea (S) 5 500.00 
			 Mauritania 5 500.00 
			 Peru 5 500.00 
			 South Africa 5 500.00 
			 Belize 5 400.00 
			 Netherlands 5 380.00 
			 Gabon 4 400.00 
			 Tonga 4 400.00 
			 Swaziland 4 280.00 
			 Commonwealth Secretariat 4 200.00 
			 Finland 3 300.00 
			 Luxembourg 3 300.00 
			 Sri Lanka 3 300.00 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 3 260.00 
			 Czech Republic 3 250.00 
			 Guyana 3 250.00 
			 Honduras 3 250.00 
			 Botswana 3 240.00 
			 Benin 3 110.00 
			 Dominican Republic 2 200.00 
			 European Bank 2 200.00 
			 Iceland 2 200.00 
			 Lesotho 2 200.00 
			 Bahamas 2 160.00 
			 Singapore 2 140.00 
			 Bolivia 2 100.00 
			 Columbia 2 90.00 
			 Armenia 1 100.00 
			 Burma 1 100.00 
			 Croatia 1 100.00 
			 Estonia 1 100.00 
			 International Cocoa Org 1 100.00 
			 International Coffee Org 1 100.00 
			 Israel 1 100.00 
			 Mauritius 1 100.00 
			 Monaco 1 100.00 
			 Papua New Guinea 1 100.00 
			 Slovenia 1 100.00 
			 Uruguay 1 100.00 
			 Canada 1 60.00 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 1 60.00 
			 Guatemala 1 50.00 
			 Cote d'lvoire 1 40.00 
			 Total 221 18,970.00 
		
	
	
		
			  Table A: The total amounts of unpaid parking fines owed by the diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom that have remained outstanding for 2002, 2003 and 2004 
			   Amounts remaining () 
			 2002 213,479.00 
			 2003 350,170.00 
			 2004 361,830.00 
			  Source: Protocol Directorate, FCO

Visa Extensions

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visa extensions have been granted to those from  (a) Russia and  (b) the Ukraine issued with student visas in each of the past five years.

Liam Byrne: The requested figures are set out in the Command Paper Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom publication for the years 2000 to 2004.
	Figures for 2005 will be published on 22 August 2006, and may be obtained from the Library of the House and from the Home Office website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	
		
			  Grants of extension of leave to remain( 1)  in the United Kingdom, excluding EEA nationals and Switzerland, students by selected nationalities, 2000 to 2004( 2) , United Kingdom 
			   Number of grants 
			  Nationality  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004( 2) 
			 All nationalities (excluding EEA and Switzerland)(3) 70,620 83,180 121,655 184,770 149,325 
			  Of which:  
			 Russia 490 595 845 1,375 1,210 
			 Ukraine 1,670 2,425 2,750 2,510 1,320 
			 (1) Excludes dependants of principal applicants and the outcome of appeals.  (2) Provisional and subject to change.  (3) Includes the nationals of the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia before 1 May 2004, but excludes them from this date.   Note:  Figures rounded to the nearest 5.   Source: Immigration Research and Statistics Service.

Volatile Substances (Convictions)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were reported as caused by volatile substance abusers in the last period for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Workers Registration Scheme

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people registered under the Workers Registration Scheme have been convicted of a criminal offence since 1 May 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: We do not have the information requested.